Patient education: Meningitis in children (The Basics)

What is meningitis? — Meningitis is a condition that can cause fever, headache, and a stiff neck. Meningitis happens when the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord (called the "meninges") get infected. This can occur after a child has an infection in another part of the body. The germs can travel through the blood to the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord.

There are 2 main types of meningitis, depending on which germs are causing the infection:

●"Bacterial meningitis" is caused by bacteria

●"Viral meningitis" is caused by viruses

It is important that doctors figure out if a child has bacterial or viral meningitis. This is because bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency. If it is not treated quickly, it can lead to brain problems such as deafness or learning problems. Bacterial meningitis can even lead to death. Viral meningitis is usually less serious, and does not usually lead to long-term brain problems or death.

What are the symptoms of meningitis? — Bacterial and viral meningitis can cause many of the same symptoms. These can include:

●Fever

●Headache

●Stiff neck

●Nausea or vomiting

●Acting confused, or being hard to wake up

●Having light bother a person's eyes

Newborn babies can also have other symptoms that include:

●A bulging soft spot on the skull

●Acting more fussy or irritable than usual

●Being more sleepy than usual

●Not feeding well

●Diarrhea

Bacterial and viral meningitis can have different symptoms. Children with bacterial meningitis might have seizures or small red-purple spots on the skin. Children with viral meningitis might have a runny nose, muscle aches, cough, or a red-pink rash.

When should I bring my child to the doctor? — If you think that your child might have meningitis, bring them to the doctor or hospital right away.

Bring your child to the emergency department right away if they:

●Have a fever, headache, and stiff neck

●Seem very sleepy or confused or do not seem to respond to you

●Have a seizure

●Have a rash with small red-purple spots that don't go away when you press on them

If your child has any other symptoms that concern you, or if you have any questions, call their doctor or nurse. They can tell you what to do next.

Is there a test for meningitis? — Yes. Doctors can do different tests to figure out if a child has meningitis and what type it is. Tests can include:

●Blood tests

●"Lumbar puncture," also known as a spinal tap – During this procedure, a doctor puts a thin needle in the lower back and removes a small amount of spinal fluid. Spinal fluid is the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. They will do lab tests on the spinal fluid.

●CT scan, or other imaging tests – Imaging tests can create pictures of the inside of the body.

How is meningitis treated? — Treatment depends on the type of meningitis:

●Bacterial meningitis is treated in the hospital with antibiotic medicines. The antibiotics are given through an "IV" (a thin tube that goes into a vein).

●Viral meningitis is not treated with antibiotics. That's because antibiotics do not kill viruses. Treatment for viral meningitis includes:

•Rest

•Drinking fluids

•Medicine to help relieve fever and headache

It can take a few days for test results to show whether a child has bacterial or viral meningitis. But bacterial meningitis needs to be treated quickly, so doctors usually start antibiotics right away. Then, doctors wait for the test results to know if they should continue or stop the antibiotics.

Can meningitis be spread from one person to another? — Yes. The bacteria and viruses that cause meningitis can be spread from one person to another.

Can meningitis be prevented? — To help reduce the chance of getting meningitis, you can:

●Make sure that your child gets the vaccines your doctor or nurse recommends – Certain vaccines can reduce the chance of your child getting meningitis.

If someone in your home has meningitis, you can:

●Avoid spreading germs – For example, wash your hands before eating, and do not share cups or silverware.

●Ask your doctor or nurse about taking antibiotics – For some types of bacterial meningitis, doctors prescribe antibiotics for other people at home to take. This is to help prevent them from getting meningitis, too.

More on this topic

Patient education: Fever in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Headaches in children (The Basics)
Patient education: What you should know about vaccines (The Basics)
Patient education: Ear infections (otitis media) in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Sinusitis in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Flu (The Basics)
Patient education: Seizures (The Basics)
Patient education: Bacterial meningitis (The Basics)
Patient education: Viral meningitis (The Basics)

Patient education: Meningitis in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Headache in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for infants and children age 0 to 6 years (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for children age 7 to 18 years (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Influenza symptoms and treatment (Beyond the Basics)