Meningitis in Infants

Meningitis in Infants

Meningitis is a horrifying disease. It can turn from nothing to deadly in almost no time. Although, if it doesn't become deadly, some other petrifying side effects can include loss of sight, hearing or even limbs. Even though treatment for the meningitis has vastly expanded in the last few decades, it is still a serious illness.

There is a patient who has survived meningitis, I'm going to call her Sue. Sue was admitted to the hospital 4 days before her 2nd birthday in 1985 with bacterial meningitis. At that time, her chances of survival were 10%. Doctors didn't expect her to live through the night and said that if she did, she had a 100% chance of mental retardation. She was put into a clinical trial, lived in the hospital for almost 2 months and eventually went home. 29 years later, she is 31, no sign of mental retardation. Sue graduated from high school with honors, has been in college and just recently received her Registered Nursing degree. This particular case was a best case scenario, but it could have been much worse. Let's take a closer look at meningitis today.

First of all, you have to identify that it is in fact meningitis. Symptoms vary depending on age, for babies symptoms can include:

tense or bulging soft spot

high temperature (could be low or normal for infants 3 months or younger) very sleepy, staring expression

unusual grunting sounds

vomiting; refusing to eat

irritable when picked up with a high pitched or moaning cry

difficult/quick breathing

blotchy, pale or blue skin

extreme shivering

stiff body with jerky movements or else floppy, lifeless

"pin prick" rash or purple bruises anywhere on the body

irritability from muscle aches or severe limb/joint pain

cold hand and feet

Meningitis can be caused by a viral, bacterial or fungal infection. Fungal is the least common of these and bacterial is the most serious and life-threatening. Although, meningitis can be contracted through noninfectious cause, such as chemical reactions, drug allergies, some types of cancer and inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis. There are several risk factors for contracting meningitis, which can include skipping vaccinations, age or even a compromised immune system.

Even with advances in modern medicine, there can always be complications or lasting effects in any disease you may get. The longer you have any sort of illness,