Meningitis in children: Causes and Treatment

Meningitis in children: Causes and Treatment
Types

meningitis in children Meningitis - an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain or spinal cord. Meningitis, particularly bacterial, can threaten life and progress rapidly, leading to permanent brain damage, neurological problems and even death. To diagnose meningitis in children should be fast, to avoid any long-term effects or to reduce them.

Causes of meningitis in children

Bacteria and viruses often cause meningitis in infants and children. The most serious cases of meningitis caused by bacteria. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and in addition very rare cases of infection hydrophobia (rabies), are almost never fatal. However, bacterial and viral meningitis are contagious. Meningitis usually develops as a complication of an infection in the bloodstream. Normally, the blood-brain barrier protects the brain from infection through blood. Sometimes the infection reduces the protective ability of the blood-brain barrier.

Meningitis can also be caused by direct spread of serious infections such as otitis media (ear infection) and sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses). Infection can also occur at any time after head injury or after surgery on the head of any type. Even more rare causes of meningitis is not contagious, it is a cancer, head trauma, brain surgery, lupus and some medications. In these cases, meningitis is not contagious.

Symptoms and signs of meningitis in children

In infants, symptoms of meningitis and symptoms are not always obvious, because they can not talk about the symptoms. Therefore, the adults who care for the child must be very attentive to the general condition of the child.

The classic symptoms of meningitis in children under three months:

poor appetite;
vomiting;
drowsiness;
rash;
stiffness of the neck muscles;
fever;
bulging fontanelle;
seizure activity;
low temperature;
shock;
floppiness;
low blood sugar;
jaundice.

The classic symptoms of meningitis in children older than one year:

nausea and vomiting;
headache;
sensitivity to light;
fever;
changes in consciousness;
drowsiness;
seizure activity;
coma;
stiffness of the neck muscles or neck pain;
Brudzinskogo symptom (knees bent automatically when the neck is tilted forward, or leg pain Pain in the legs - to warn easier than cure flexion);
Kernig (inability to straighten the leg below the hip after they were bent at an angle of ninety degrees);
rash.

Symptoms of viral meningitis often resemble flu-like symptoms (fever, muscle aches, cough, headache Headache But some may experience one or more of the above symptoms for bacterial meningitis), but the symptoms are usually much milder. Meningitis - a disease that requires immediate diagnosis and aggressive treatment, particularly bacterial meningitis. The physician must assign specific tests to determine the type of meningitis.

Treatment of meningitis in children

Since meningitis can be life-threatening, treatment can begin before all the tests will be made.
If there are any signs of labored breathing, the breathing tube may be needed to provide the child with oxygen.
To accurately monitor the respiratory rate, oxygen levels, heart rate and heart rate of the child, joined by special monitors.
The child put the IV to help with dehydration, maintain blood pressure and provide good blood circulation.
A child who is sick with bacterial meningitis, or there is a suspicion of bacterial meningitis are hospitalized. If necessary, it is placed in the intensive care unit.
A child who has viral meningitis and there are signs of improvement can be sent home by assigning a maintenance therapy. Supportive treatment includes drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, and medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve pain and fever. If a child is sent home, a doctor should examine him during the day to make sure his condition improved.

Medicines for meningitis in children

Early treatment of meningitis can be treated with antibiotics, as soon as possible to cope with the infection. Type of antibiotic depends on the age of the child and on the presence of any known allergies. Antibiotics do not help with viral meningitis.
The child can be administered steroids to reduce inflammation to a minimum, depending on the pathogen.
A child may require stronger drugs, depending on the severity of the disease.
Fungal or parasitic infections require treatment with special medicines. Non-infectious meningitis cases are treated, depending on the underlying problem.

After discharge

If the child was discharged from the hospital within a day it should be examined by a doctor. If a child's condition does not improve or worsens, an urgent need to return to the hospital.

Prevention of meningitis in children

There are special vaccines to protect the child and to reduce the chances of developing both bacterial and viral meningitis. For bacterial vaccines include Hib, meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines and antiviral vaccines include vaccines against influenza, polio, measles and mumps.

Predictions of meningitis in children

The prognosis for any type of meningitis depends on the specific cause and severity of the infection. At the beginning of the treatment and the diagnosis of the doctor, may not be able to call detailed clinical prognosis.

Bacterial meningitis can progress rapidly within a few hours, and result in death, despite the most advanced treatment. If the child survives after a hard case of bacterial meningitis, it can have long-lasting effects, including vision problems, hearing loss, seizures, paralysis and mental retardation.

In very mild cases of bacterial meningitis, with early treatment, a child can fully recover within a few weeks of rehabilitation.

Viral meningitis usually occurs much more easily, and it is usually treatable at home or on an outpatient basis. Most children with viral meningitis recover within two weeks.