Norwalk health officials say a Silvermine Elementary School student has been diagnosed with a contagious bacterial infection called C.difficile.

They say C.diff can cause symptoms like diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach pain and fever.

News 12 is told school officials sent a letter home to parents Thursday to inform them about the infected student. The letter states that only one child has shown symptoms of C.diff and that the entire classroom has been disinfected.

The letter also says that students are being encouraged to wash their hands regularly and that new soap dispensers have been installed at the school.

Health officials say that although C.diff is becoming more common, it is still a rare infection.

Theresa Cruz, whose daughter attends the school, says she is unsatisfied with the letter the school sent home to parents. She says that her fourth-grader has been sick for about six months and the school has waited too long to send a letter home to parents.

Mayor Harry Rilling says he's confident that steps are being taken to protect the children's' health.