Meningitis is a dangerous infectious and inflammatory process affecting the meninges. The disease threatens the life of the patient. Unfortunately, children often encounter such a pathology due to insufficiently developed immunity. A clear sign of meningitis is a rash. At the same time, not everyone is paying attention to changing skin integuments and are not in a hurry to seek help.
Description of the pathological process
Not everyone pays attention to a rash with meningitis. Photos of changes in the skin can be seen below. Patients seek help more often when more striking symptoms of the pathological process are already developing - severe headache, fever, vomiting, etc.
Meningitis is most often associated with damage to the pia mater. Particular attention is paid to this ailment in pediatrics. The disease often leads to death or severe damage to the central nervous system. Among preschool children, the incidence of meningitis is quite high. A rash does not always develop with meningitis. However, such a symptom can occur at an early stage of the pathological process. If you pay attention to it in a timely manner, it will be possible to avoid serious consequences.
Causes of Meningitis
A variety of pathogens can cause the disease in children and adults. Most often it is meningococcus or pneumococcus. Less commonly, the pathological process is associated with staphylococcus or mycobacterium tuberculosis. A rash with meningitis in children (photo above) may also be associated with a viral infection. The disease develops as a complication of measles, rubella, tick-borne encephalitis, etc.
Meningitis is a contagious disease. A potential source of pathogenic microflora is a sick person. Infection can occur both in the household and in the airborne way. With meningitis in a rash in newborns, it may appear due to insufficiently developed immunity. At risk are infants who have had an intrauterine infection. Prematurity, hypoxia will also contribute to the development of the disease.
In young children, meningitis often develops against the background of other diseases, such as otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc.
The mechanism of the development of the disease
When does a rash appear with meningitis? At the initial infection, an unpleasant symptom can appear almost immediately after the pathogenic microflora enters the body through the mucous membranes or damaged epidermis. More rarely, the gastrointestinal tract acts as a conductor for infection. Bacteria and viruses penetrate into the cavity of the skull and meninges by the hematogenous route (with blood flow).
In the first hours of infection, the level of toxins in the body increases. As a result, vascular membranes become more permeable. In parallel with inflammation of the meninges, a rash develops with meningitis. Changes in the skin against the background of a general deterioration in the well-being of the patient is an occasion to call an ambulance.
With timely and proper therapy, after a few days, the patient's condition improves. But the decision to conduct therapy at home can lead to the formation of pus in the meninges. As a result, the risk of death is increased.
Classification of Meningitis in Children
The disease in young patients may be primary or secondary. If the pathology develops without a previous inflammatory process in other organs and systems, they speak of primary infection. In this case, you should know what rash is with meningitis. After all, it is this symptom that can indicate inflammation of the cerebral membrane in the first hours of the disease. Secondary meningitis develops, as a rule, against the background of otitis media or sinusitis. Bacterial microflora with improper therapy easily penetrates the meninges.
Depending on the patient’s condition, three degrees of meningitis in children and adults are distinguished - mild, moderate and severe. Initially, the disease most often develops in a mild form. However, even at this stage, changes in the skin can be observed among other symptoms of meningitis in children. A rash is a symptom that cannot be ignored.
By the nature of the formation of exudate in the meninges, serous and purulent meningitis is distinguished.
Rashes with meningitis
What does a rash look like with meningitis? Pay attention to the change in color of the skin. As a rule, the rash develops suddenly and looks very bright. Individual elements may have a red-violet color. However, they do not rise above the level of the skin. It is impossible to determine the rash to the touch.
Visually, it is not always possible to distinguish a rash from meningitis from other pathological processes. Photos of the skin for different diseases may be similar. Pathological changes in meningitis can be distinguished by pressing on the affected area. If the rash does not fade when pressed, inflammation of the brain can be suspected. A rash with meningitis in adults will look similar.
Pay attention also to the localization of rashes. Initially, changes in the skin are observed on the upper and lower extremities. As the pathological process develops, redness may appear on the back and stomach.
With meningitis of viral origin, the rash will be paler. In this case, rashes can appear on any part of the body, including on the mucous membranes.
Other diseases with rashes
It is important to know how to distinguish a rash with meningitis from lesions of the skin with other diseases. It can be rubella, chickenpox, measles, scabies, mononucleosis. However, the nature of the rashes will always be different. So with chickenpox, watery rashes always appear, which within a few days “explode” and quickly dry out. With scabies, redness is observed between the fingers and toes, in the folds of the skin.
Visually, a rash with rubella may be similar to meningitis. However, in this case, the rashes spread evenly throughout the body. To determine what pathology had to be faced, a simple glass will help. When pressed, the rash does not fade with meningitis in children. The photo above shows how to conduct the test correctly.
Other signs of meningitis
In addition to changes in the skin, the patient's health worsens almost immediately, the body temperature rises to subfebrile indicators, and symptoms of general intoxication appear. In babies, rapid intermittent breathing, as well as tachycardia, may indicate the development of infection. The baby stops taking breasts, becomes tearful. If parents at the same time know what the rash looks like with meningitis in children, they will not hesitate in seeking qualified medical help.
In certain forms of meningitis, non-specific symptoms, such as renal and respiratory failure, may occur. With enterovirus infection, severe diarrhea can occur, which quickly leads to dehydration of the body of a small patient.
Due to toxic irritation of the meninges, the patient has severe headaches that cannot be eliminated with simple anesthetics. As a rule, discomfort is localized in the frontotemporal.
Typical is meningeal syndrome. The patient feels most comfortable on his side with his head thrown back, bent arms and legs. In this position, the pain is less intense.
Diagnosis of the disease
It is already possible to determine the disease by the symptoms of meningitis. A rash that does not fade when pressed is one of the most striking signs of a pathological process. However, this is not enough to prescribe a full treatment. The doctor must find out what pathogenic microflora provoked inflammation of the meninges. Additionally, you may need to consult a pediatric neurologist.
If meningitis is suspected in children, lumbar puncture can be performed. During the procedure, she immediately inserts a needle into the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord at the level of the lumbar region. Thus, it is possible to take cerebrospinal fluid for examination. This diagnosis allows us to differentiate between meningitis and meningism. In addition, it is possible to determine whether purulent masses are present in the affected area.
Differential diagnosis
In addition, other hardware studies can be prescribed - X-ray of the skull, MRI, CT of the brain. Differential diagnosis can be carried out with a diabetic coma, hemorrhage, and head injuries.
Treatment of meningitis in children
Like other symptoms of meningitis in children, the rash cannot be ignored. However, therapy should not be aimed only at restoring the condition of the skin. Suspicion of meningitis is an absolute indication for hospitalization of a small patient. If, against the background of skin rashes, the baby's body temperature rises rapidly, the baby behaves unnaturally, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance.
In a medical institution, a child needs to observe bed rest, adhere to a special diet. To stop the inflammatory process, preparations are prescribed for intramuscular or intravenous administration. Most often, antibiotics from a number of penicillins and cephalosporins are used. In the most difficult cases, drugs are administered endolumbally (into the space between the periosteum of the spine and the hard shell of the spinal cord). Antibiotic therapy in children is carried out for at least two weeks.
With viral meningitis, treatment of the disease can be carried out with the drug "Acyclovir". Prevention of cerebral ischemia is mandatory. To do this, use nootropic drugs.
Accelerate the recovery process in severe form of meningitis allows blood ultraviolet radiation. The patient is taken blood, cleaned, then injected back. Such a procedure can be carried out repeatedly.
Dangerous complications of meningitis
The disease can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms of meningitis. A photo of the rash can be seen above. Failure to timely therapy often leads to the death of the patient. The most terrible complication is cerebral edema, which is rapidly developing and can lead to irreversible consequences. Even if the child survives, his basic functions - speech, memory, etc., may be disturbed.
Even if the illness was completely overcome, unpleasant consequences associated with the work of organs and systems are not ruled out. Often, patients begin to suffer from deafness, the normal functioning of the kidneys, organs of vision and breathing is disrupted. In many cases, joints and ligaments begin to malfunction.
A dangerous complication of meningitis is epilepsy. The patient develops convulsive seizures, which can also be fatal.
If the therapy was carried out correctly, in the first months after treatment, complications can develop that can easily be eliminated over time. Patients become inattentive, cannot concentrate, quickly get tired. Classes with a neurologist and psychotherapist can quickly recover.
Forecast and Prevention
The prognosis is determined by the severity of the disease. With timely request for help, it is possible to completely cope with unpleasant symptoms within a few weeks. Refusal of therapy leads to serious consequences up to death.
Prevention is aimed at the timely treatment of any infectious pathologies. When meningitis is detected in a child care facility, quarantine measures are carried out, vaccination is carried out.