Medical App & Medical Advice with Hello Doctor

Does your child have meningitis? Know the danger signs

Spotting meningitis can be tricky, and it can be easy for your little one to develop it without you knowing. That’s because the early warning signs and symptoms are almost identical to the flu.

Don’t worry though. By getting to know the signs and symptoms, you can ensure your child gets the right treatment before it becomes serious. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges; the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses, and sometimes by illness and certain medication. It spreads like colds and flu, when someone who’s infected touches, kisses, sneezes or coughs on you.

Common signs:

  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Drowsiness.
  • A small appetite.
  • Confusion and disorientation.
  • Sensitivity to bright light.
  • Fever.
  • Headache.
  • Neck stiffness.

More severe symptoms include coma and seizure.

Watch out for these signs in toddlers: 


A refusal to be fed, irritable when picked up, a fever, and a bulging soft spot on their head, and moaning and crying.

Preventing meningitis is the best way to work against it. Remember, not every child gets the same symptoms and they can appear in any order.

Make sure your little ones wash their hands often with soap and warm water. Encourage this, particularly after using the bathroom; when they’ve been around other kids, and when they’ve been in contact with a sick person. Teach them not to share food, utensils and drinks with anyone who is, or has recently been, sick.

If you suspect your child or anyone else has meningitis, you should:

  • Take them to your doctor immediately.
  • If you can’t get there right away, call a doctor and describe the symptoms.
  • Go to the nearest emergency room if your doctor isn’t available.

Treatment


If a doctor suspects your child has meningitis, he will do tests. A sample from the spinal cord is usually taken. This can show signs of inflammation and infection due to a virus or bacteria. Blood samples may also be taken to check for bacterial infections in the blood. Sometimes, imaging of the head is done to check for swelling and inflammation around the brain.

There are two kinds of meningitis, viral and bacterial. Depending on which kind your child has, he’ll be treated a certain way.

Bacterial


Severe bacterial meningitis is very serious and must be treated immediately with antibiotics. It helps reduce the risk of complications like brain swelling and seizures. The type of antibiotic depends on the type of bacteria that caused the infection. The sinus may be drained if there’s a build-up of mucus and infection.

In some cases, doctors may give an antibiotic to someone who’s been around an ill person with bacterial meningitis to prevent them from developing the disease themselves.

Viral meningitis


Unfortunately, antibiotics can’t be used for viral meningitis, but mild cases usually clear up on their own. It can be treated with bed rest, plenty of fluids and over-the-counter pain medication.

References:

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a disorder of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles), and it causes sudden and recurring episodes of loss of consciousness, convulsions and sensory disturbance. These are all things which are associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Normally, neurones (cells) in your brain communicate with each other using electrical impulses, and these electrical signals travel along the nerves to the rest of your body, giving your muscles “instructions” to move.

Convulsions happen when there is unusual electrical activity in the brain, which causes muscles to tighten and relax rapidly, or stop moving completely. Convulsions always happen suddenly, and there’s no rule or guideline as to when or how often they’ll happen.

How intense a convulsion is will depend on the person. Some people have full seizures, while other’s experience a ‘trance-like’ state for a few seconds or minutes.

What Causes Epilepsy?

Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to explain why a person develops epilepsy. There are only clear causes in a small number of cases, and these tend to involve some injury to the brain, such as:

  • Low oxygen during birth
  • Head injuries that occur during birth or from accidents
  • Stroke
  • Brain tumours
  • Genetic conditions that result in brain injury
  • Infections such as meningitis or encephalitis
  • Abnormal levels of substances in the blood such as sodium or sugar

Diagnosing Epilepsy

If you have a convulsion or seizure, your doctor will likely order certain tests done, such as a CAT scan or MRI to take a closer look at your brain, or an electroencephalogram (EEG) to record your brainwaves. These tests help doctors determine what caused the seizure and if it’s likely to happen again.

Treating Epilepsy

Epilepsy can’t be cured, but anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) can be used to control seizures. It can take time to figure the correct dose and type of AED before seizures can be brought under control. In a few cases, surgical procedures can also help control seizures.

Most people who are diagnosed with epilepsy can control their seizures with medication. And as they get older, many children with epilepsy get better and can stop taking medication. For some children though, it can be difficult to get the seizures under control, and a special diet might be needed.

Living with Epilepsy

Epilepsy differs from person to person, but a healthy lifestyle can make the condition easier to deal with. Focus on a balanced diet and regular exercise, and cut down on alcohol. It’s also important to speak to your doctor about driving or operating machinery if you’re on medication, as it might cause drowsiness. Likewise, if you’re trying to conceive then find out from your doctor if it’s safe to continue taking your particular medication.

Epilepsy Support: http://epilepsy.org.za/new/
Sources: WebMD.com, NHS.uk