How parents want the children to be healthy, cheerful and cheerful! But reality does not always coincide with what is desired. Chad sometimes get sick. Some simply resist a cold, while others are more and more serious. Symptoms of meningitis in a child should not be ignored. In this case, medical intervention is necessary.
Have to fight for your baby. But the sooner this fight is started, the faster the baby will begin to recover. And remember: treatment should be carried out only under the supervision of a specialist and only in a hospital.
general information
Meningitis is a neuroinfectious disease. The membrane of the brain and spinal cord becomes inflamed. Most often, the disease occurs in children aged three months to three years. But this is not a fact. You may encounter symptoms of meningitis in a child of 8 years of age or older. All forms of the disease are very severe. Do not do without medical assistance.
The ailment can manifest itself in the cold season. Persistent immunity to it is not produced. You can get sick again.
The consequences of this disease, if the treatment was carried out incorrectly or at the wrong time, is disability or death. The result - a violation of the central nervous system, slow mental development, a problem with the psyche.
That's why when detecting the first signs of an ailment, one should not self-medicate. Only a qualified specialist will help to cope with the disease.
The situation is complicated by the fact that with meningitis, symptoms in children in the incubation period cannot be detected. The causative agent is not yet fully manifest. The harm he does is almost imperceptible. The duration of this stage is from several hours to ten days. Depends on the form of the disease.
Mortality among children infected with bacterial meningitis is fourteen percent. Vaccinations are a remedy that can protect against some forms of the disease.
Classification
Before talking about meningitis in children, symptoms and treatment, you should understand the classification of the disease.
Depending on the area of damage to the meninges, the disease is divided into:
- Arachnoiditis (a rare form). Damaged arachnoid membranes.
- Pachymeningitis. Inflammation affects the hard membranes of the brain.
- Leptomeningitis - is the most common. "Spider" arachnoid and soft membranes.
Depending on the pathogen:
- Pneumococcal - the source of infection is sick patients and carriers of the pathogen. Causes her pneumococcus. It is introduced into the body, resistant to the action of antibodies in the blood.
- Meningococcal. The causative agent is diplococcus.
- Staphylococcal, most often affects newborns or children who have undergone chemotherapy.
- Hemophilic. The reason for the appearance is a hemophilic bacillus.
By the nature of the course:
- Serous meningitis in children. Symptoms and signs are most often found in newborns. The disease is easier than the purulent form of meningitis. This type of ailment is characterized by the presence of lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid.
- Purulent - develops under the influence of bacteria (viruses). A large number of neutrophils are observed in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Remember! Without timely treatment, the disease, whatever kind it may be, causes irreparable harm to the health of the child.
Causes
If the child has symptoms of meningitis, it is necessary to understand what caused the disease.
- Viruses: measles, chickenpox, rubella, polio, Epstein-Barr virus.
- Bacteria: streptococci, meningococci and others. The simplest microorganisms, hemophilic bacillus.
- Tubercle bacillus, fungi, helminths.
The disease is transmitted by contact with a sick person. The disease has an incubation period. There are no symptoms yet, but the child is already a source of infection.
Most often, children born prematurely are affected; babies with purulent pathologies; babies with birth injuries and disorders of the central nervous system.
Infection occurs as follows: bacteria enter the bloodstream. They negatively affect the lining of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid.
Another route of infection is through the nasopharynx. Causes of infection: contact with the carrier or a sick person, weakened immunity.
Signs of the disease
With meningitis in a child, the following symptoms are observed (they are leading): high fever, headache, vomiting. These symptoms are also called the meningial triad.
The temperature rises quickly to forty degrees, lasts several days. On the fourth day, it begins to decline only if the treatment was carried out in a timely manner.
The first symptoms of meningitis in children can still be added: lethargy, drowsiness, weakness.
Headache appears immediately. A child cannot show where it is “bad”, since pain does not have a specific location.
The next sign of the disease is profuse vomiting (the emetic center of the brain swells). She appears unexpectedly, without nausea. The baby does not bring relief.
Common signs of the disease
With infectious meningitis in children, the symptoms appear are the same as with any other infectious disease.
- Body temperature rises.
- The skin becomes pale, sometimes cyanosis appears.
- Muscles begin to hurt.
- The child becomes lethargic, does not want to play, constantly cries.
- The baby's appetite is lost.
Depending on the factor that caused the disease, some signs may vary.
With viral meningitis, the symptoms in children are the same as mentioned above, but there is a difference - the temperature can be very high.
The bacterial form of the disease causes purulent discharge from the ear canals.
If the disease proceeds with complications, then blood pressure may decrease. In this situation, the child can refuse not only to eat, but also to drink water.
These are common symptoms of the disease in children, and now we will learn more about them.
Physical signs
A dangerous disease is meningitis. Symptoms in children how to recognize at the initial stage? This question always worries parents. The sooner they notice a pathology, the prognosis for recovery will be more optimistic. Like every disease, inflammation of the brain has physical symptoms. They will help to notice that something is wrong with the child. Knowing them is useful to everyone, but especially to those parents who have children under the age of one year. They can’t say anything.
The first symptom of meningitis in young children is a strong pulsation of the fontanel (region of the skull not covered by bones) and its swelling. These signs indicate that there is an inflammatory process.
The specific symptoms of the disease include the following.
- Headache is very severe. The kid constantly rubs his head and wraps it.
- Unusual reaction to loud music and bright light. Usually the baby begins to cry.
- The first symptoms of meningitis in children 2 years old, as well as in children up to five years old, are convulsions and twitching.
- The baby reacts inappropriately to touch.
- There is a sharp change in irritability to lethargy.
- Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
- Sometimes a skin rash appears with hemorrhages. It is a dangerous symptom of meningitis in children 4 years old and other age groups. Red spots usually start from the lower extremities and gradually rise up. The cause of this symptom is meningococcus. In this case, we are talking about purulent inflammation. Call an ambulance immediately.
Specific features
We continue to talk about what symptoms in children with meningitis appear in the first place. Physical signs were considered above, and now we will focus on specific ones. The latter are characteristic only for this disease.
- The patient, being in a horizontal position, tries to tilt his head to the chest. If inflammation of the meninges occurs in the body, then its legs will bend uncontrollably.
- Symptom Lesage. Motor reactions are checked. When the child is taken under the armpits, his legs are pulled to the stomach.
Symptoms of meningitis in children 3 years of age and older are very good. Parents have no doubt that something is wrong with the baby. Promptly contact a specialist. Only in this case can we talk about the positive results of treatment.
We make a diagnosis at home
The following measures will help to refute or confirm your doubts. They can be carried out at home.
- The numbness of the occipital muscles is checked. The chin of the child is pressed to the chest. If the baby cannot completely do this, it means that the muscles after contraction cannot relax.
- The diagnosis of symptoms of meningitis in children 3 years of age and older can be confirmed in this way. The child lies on his back, knees bent. Ask him to straighten one leg and lay it on the surface. The patient will not be able to do this. In this way, the muscle tension of the posterior thigh is checked.
- Buccal symptom. Press on the cheeks on both sides - the shoulders rise involuntarily. The back muscles are tense. In this case, the child cannot sit without support.
- The cocked pose. The baby lies on its side, its head is thrown back, legs are pressed to the stomach.
Seizures are also added to the symptoms of meningitis in children under 5 years of age.
Diagnosis of the disease
At the first suspicion of inflammation of the lining of the brain, you should immediately consult a doctor. A specialist examines the baby, prescribes treatment. It is important that this is timely.
For the correct diagnosis of child meningitis, the symptoms are confirmed by the following tests:
- General blood analysis. The results show the presence of leukocytosis with a shift to the left. Increased ESR.
- Lumbar puncture, cerebrospinal fluid examination. After taking the analysis, the cerebrospinal fluid should be delivered to the laboratory within two hours. If the result is positive, the liquid is cloudy, milky white, the amount of protein is increased, and glucose is below normal.
- Bacterioscopy. Material for the study is taken from the skin, nasopharynx, cerebrospinal fluid. Blood smears will also be needed.
- Bacteriological analysis. Substances taken from cerebrospinal fluid, nasopharyngeal mucosa and urine are checked.
- Blood serology. The presence of specific antibodies is determined.
Treatment
Suppose, carefully following the behavior of the baby, you began to suspect that he has meningitis. Symptoms in children how to recognize, you already know. Based on your knowledge, you made a “diagnosis”. Do not hesitate for a minute, call a doctor. Only he will help your child.
Treatment is carried out in a hospital. The patient is isolated. A series of tests are performed to confirm the diagnosis.
- To eliminate pathogens, antibacterial agents are prescribed.
- To enhance the effect, broad-spectrum antibiotics are used. With bacterial inflammation, the most powerful drugs of this group are used.
- Antiviral drugs are added to the course of antibiotics for viral meningitis (symptoms in children confirm this diagnosis). For a more effective action, they are injected into a vein or spinal canal.
- Also prescribed: antipyretic drugs, antihistamines and dehydrating drugs. They are used to alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
To reduce the swelling of the brain, diuretics are prescribed. In order to improve the central nervous system, the child is given nootropic drugs: "Piracetam", "Nootropil" and others. Steroid hormones support the heart muscle.
The course of treatment includes rehabilitation. The first fourteen days bed rest is required. If this is not observed, complications may occur.
After successful treatment, many children have to re-learn to sit, stand. During this period, children are prescribed physiotherapy exercises and massage. The menu consists of a lot of vitamins and protein.
Reviews
What do people who have encountered this problem say? They will be able to prompt, give advice and help. Of course, only a specialist will do everything right, but friends in misfortune will tell you what to do in order not to be too late. Let's talk again about the symptoms of children with meningitis. The feedback of those who survived these terrible days can help prevent disaster.
It starts like a common cold. Only the temperature is very high, and it is impossible to bring down. If the child has a neck ache and he loses consciousness, then you should not lose time - urgently to the hospital. They will do tests and make a diagnosis.
In addition to the high temperature, neck pain, it is difficult for the child to look at the light, loud sounds annoy him. This is also indicated by the parents of children with meningitis.
Severe vomiting does not bring relief, the child cannot touch the chin of the chest, the neck does not bend.
No matter what the parents say, it all comes down to one thing - you should not waste time. Any doubt can dispel the doctor. At the first suspicious symptoms, call an ambulance.
Disease prevention
In order for the child not to get sick, it is necessary to carry out the following preventive measures:
- Get your child vaccinated against meningitis.
- Get rid of diseases that can cause inflammation of the lining of the brain in a timely manner.
- Strengthen the immunity of the child.
- Try not to overcool the crumbs.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Teach your child about personal hygiene.
- Temper the baby.
- Do not allow your child to swim in open water. Especially where there is still water.
- Drink yourself and give the child only boiled or bottled water.
- Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before use.
In conclusion, I want to summarize.
Symptoms of meningitis in a child of 7 years and other age groups are the same. Only smaller children cannot tell what and where it hurts. Mom and Dad should understand this when looking at their baby. Just so the baby will not cry. The methods that have been listed above will help you diagnose yourself. But remember: no self-treatment. Baby's health is in your hands. The sooner you contact a specialist, the higher the prognosis for recovery. Sometimes one minute of delay can cost the life of your child. Do not take risks, help the child.