Meningitis (in babies and small children)
Uploaded by mumsa1 on Mar 19, 2012
Meningitis is a serious condition for which immediate medical attention must be sought.
In this article:
What is meningitis?
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Effect on your life
Treatment
How Chemist Online can help
Advice & Support
What is meningitis?
When the lining that covers the brain and spinal chord becomes inflamed, meningitis is diagnosed, the cause usually being established as being a viral or bacterial infection.
Meningitis is a serious condition (particularly in children). The difficulty with spotting meningitis is that the symptoms can be very similar to those associated with cold or flu. However, if your baby has a bulge in his or her fontanelle (the soft area at the top of the head) then this can be a strong indication of meningitis and you should seek immediate medical assistance.
Symptoms
As well as the aforementioned symptoms/indicators, other symptoms of meningitis in babies and small children can include:
Shrill crying
Unusual moaning
Refusal of food
Lethargy
Fever and chills
Rejection of adults when being held or handled
Fast breathing patterns
Irritability
An unnatural stiffness of body or an unusual floppiness
Sleepiness which is a deeper sleep than normal, making the infant more difficult than usual to wake up
Cold hands and feet
Pain in the hands, legs and feet
Blue lips
Pale complexion
Causes
Babies and small children are much more susceptible to being infected with viruses and bacteria (than adults) due to their immune systems not being as strong or as fully developed yet. That said, the exact cause of why the particular meningitis virus and bacteria affects infants is as yet unknown.
(Note: In adults, the infection/bacteria is spread through coughing, sneezing, and sharing personal possessions such as toothbrushes and/or gargle cups in the bathroom.)
Diagnosis
If your child is suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, seek immediate medical help. Do not wait for an appointment with your GP to become available, go immediately to the A&E department of your local (or nearest) hospital. Awaiting the results of diagnostic tests can take several hours, so it is important that your child is examined by trained medical professionals as soon as possible.
Once a confirmed diagnosis of meningitis has been established, an appropriate treatment will be recommended for your child.
Effect on your life
Obviously, it can be extremely upsetting and worrying for any parent to receive a confirmed diagnosis of meningitis in their child. And also to witness their child struggling to cope with the symptoms of meningitis can also be hugely upsetting. The good news is that most cases of meningitis pass with appropriate treatment and leave no lasting affect....