What happens to children with meningitis?

Many parents will find that their children will inexplicably develop persistent fever, loss of appetite, and even nausea and vomiting at a certain stage. It is generally difficult to cure the disease with medication. In fact, this is a case of meningitis in children. Many parents will wonder, what kind of disease is meningitis? What should we do? Let me tell you.

1. What is baby meningitis?

Baby meningitis is an inflammation of the baby's meninges. Meninges, also called meninges, are the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Baby meningitis is usually caused by viral or bacterial infection. Viral meningitis is also called "aseptic meningitis."

For babies two or three months old, especially newborns (babies under 28 days old), whether the infection is viral or bacterial meningitis, it may be very serious. Any delay in treatment may cause deafness, intellectual disability, or even death.

If an older baby is infected with viral meningitis, the symptoms are usually mild, lasting 2 to 3 weeks. Most babies can recover completely, and very few will have sequelae. But if it's bacterial meningitis, it's a different story. Bacterial meningitis develops quickly and has serious consequences.

Most viruses that cause meningitis in babies are enteroviruses. For example, the Coxsackie virus that causes hand, foot and mouth disease is an enterovirus that may cause meningitis. Other viruses, such as the herpes simplex virus that causes recurrent stomatitis or cold sores, can also cause meningitis.

The bacteria that can cause meningitis in China are mainly meningococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type B (HiB). Infants and newborns under 2 months old and some babies with immunodeficiency are susceptible to infection by Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus. The most common Enterobacteriaceae are Escherichia coli, followed by Proteus, etc.

The above is an introduction and analysis of meningitis. The editor would like to remind you of some symptoms of meningitis in the end to help you better understand meningitis. For example, in addition to fever, babies are prone to stiffness of the head and neck, and are prone to allergies and rashes on their bodies. Everyone should be vigilant.