What are the symptoms of purulent meningitis in infants?

Purulent meningitis is generally caused by purulent bacteria and can affect the brain, spinal cord, and cranial nerves. If a baby suffers from purulent meningitis, common symptoms include fever, abdominal distension, respiratory arrest, etc.

1. General manifestations

The clinical manifestations of neonatal purulent meningitis are often atypical, especially in premature infants. Common manifestations include pale complexion, poor response, less crying and movement, refusal to feed or reduced sucking, vomiting and fever or no temperature rise, jaundice, hepatomegaly, abdominal distension, shock, etc.

2. Special performance

(1) Neurological symptoms: irritability, irritability, sudden startle, screaming, drowsiness, lethargy, etc. The patient may stare with both eyes, squint, turn up eyes, twitch eyelids, and small twitching of facial muscles like sucking. He may also have paroxysmal cyanosis, apnea, and twitching of one side or part of the limbs.

(2) Increased intracranial pressure: The anterior fontanelle is tense, full or bulging, and the sutures are separated. Since the neck muscles of newborns are poorly developed, neck stiffness is rare. Complications: Due to the poor resistance of newborns and atypical symptoms of meningitis, early diagnosis and timely treatment are difficult, so there are relatively many complications and sequelae. Among the complications, subdural effusion and pus are the most common, and among the sequelae, hydrocephalus and mental retardation are the most common.