Meningitis can be described as an inflammation of the membranes, which surround the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis is potentially life-threading disease that can rapidly progress and can damage the brain permanently. It cal also develop various neurological problems and more severely, the death. Many children are affected by meningitis due to various reasons and for them; this could be indeed fatal condition.
Meningitis can occur as a complication from an infection in the body especially in the bloodstream. There is something called blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from the contamination by the blood but in some cases, an infection can cross that barrier and can penetrate into the brain causing the disease. This is performed generally by releasing some substances by the microorganisms that can weaken the barrier.
Infections present in nearby site such as ear infection (otitis media) or nasal or sinus infection (sinusitis) can also turn into meningitis. The meningitis can broadly be classified into viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis. However, viral meningitis is much less serious as compare to bacterial meningitis. This is because; the bacterial meningitis remains undiagnosed many times due to its closely resembling features with common flu.
Commonly, meningitis occurs in children aging 1-4 years. The onset of the disease is so rapid that healthy looking child can become ill within a day of infection and can die within couple of days. There are no perfect symptoms for meningitis and they vary from age to age. However, here are few of the common features of meningitis…
- In infants, classic symptoms include decreased liquid intake, vomiting, increased irritability and fever. There may be bulging at the soft spot on the front side of the skull. Infant may have seizures or convulsions.
- If the child (more than one year) is affected by meningitis, one can find nausea and vomiting, fever, lethargy, seizures and many times neck stiffness. Some of the signs like Kernig sign and Brudzinski sign can clearly be seen on examination. There may be altered mental status and child may seem confused to you.
Apart from routine examination of the body, head and nervous system, there are few diagnostic factors and tools that can confirm the disease in children. Temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse and amount (saturation) of oxygen in blood are common and compulsory factors to be carried out.
Sureshots for the disease include the spinal fluid examination that is performed by taping a spine or something called lumbar puncture. Cerebrospinal fluid taken from spinal tap is then examined thoroughly under microscope where the presence of any microorganism is detected.
Brain (skull) X-Ray, MRI and CT scan can be helpful to find out any lesion within the cerebral area. To rule out the root cause, Chest X-Ray could be helpful.
Meningitis is fatal disease and therefore, its prevention is must. As meningitis can be a complication of any infection, you should not ignore any infection that affects the child. Children should not remain untreated, even for minute infections. Fever, at any cost, should not be remaining unattended. When your child complains about earache or cold, see doctor immediately to avoid complications in terms of meningitis.
Take precautions to prevent infections such as drink the boiled and then cooled water, stop eating outside and give your child healthy, fresh and recently cooked food rather than canned or packed food.
Meningitis is very rapidly progressing disease in children and it gives very less time to recover and to overcome the disease. Therefore, the treatment should be started as early as possible. You cannot help up a child to a satisfactory level at home and child needs to be hospitalized as soon as possible. All you need to do is take some precautions until the child is shifted to hospital.
Many times, meningitis brings convulsions and therefore, one of the most important things to be kept in mind is a child should not bite its own tongue and for that, you can place a soft cloth between jaws. Secondly, when a child is lying, there are chances of vomiting and so aspiration of the vomitus. You need to keep child’s head on either left or on right side so that the vomited fluid falls outside and not into the mouth again.
You can give anti-pyretic with the confirmed dose if the child is conscious. In case, when a child is not conscious, cold water sponging will be very beneficial in lowering down the temperature.
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