Meningitis in children
Meningitis is an acute infectious disease in which the lining of the brain and spinal cord becomes inflamed. In children, this disease is especially difficult. It causes complications, among which there may be mental retardation, toxic shock, blood clotting disorders, etc.
The disease most commonly affects infants and young children. Boys get sick more often than girls, and the peak of the incidence falls in the summer period. How the disease will proceed and its outcome depend on the child's age, general condition and the time of treatment started.
Causes of meningitis in children
A child is most often infected by airborne droplets from peers and adults, less often through dirty objects and animals (mainly rodents). There are several types of meningitis pathogen:
- viruses (smallpox, measles, rubella, flu, etc.); - bacteria (meningococcus, pneumococcus, streptococcus, staphylococcus, salmonella, pseudomonas aeruginosa, haemophilus influenzae); - fungus (candida); - the simplest microorganisms (amoeba, toxoplasma).
The most common cases of meningococcal meningitis (60–70% of all cases). The spread of the infection can be a sick person or a carrier of the bacteria (animal). Infection occurs by airborne droplets, after which the inflammatory process begins. Meningitis develops when meningococcus enters the soft lining of the brain, causing inflammation. The disease is facilitated by craniocerebral trauma, otitis media, tonsillitis, inflammation of the sinuses, and reduced immunity.
Symptoms of meningitis in children
Symptoms of meningitis in children and adults are the same: the disease begins with fever, vomiting, acute headache, muscle pain and neck stiffness, increased sensitivity to light, sound, weakness, irritability and lack of appetite.
In infants, meningitis is manifested by anxiety, the fontanelle becomes denser. The initial symptoms of the disease in children 2–10 years old are fever and irritability. A rash often appears on the body, lower extremities and mucous membranes.
Remember: if a child has symptoms such as vomiting, chills, headache, high fever (above 38 ° C), tension in the muscles of the neck and nape, drowsiness and lethargy, convulsions, confusion - call a doctor immediately! The outcome of the disease directly depends on the timely diagnosis and adequate treatment. Therefore, a sick child is subject to immediate hospitalization, rather than home treatment.
Diagnosis of meningitis involves puncture of the cerebrospinal fluid. Its color, turbidity, bacteria, protein, glucose and other trace elements are analyzed.
Treatment of meningitis in children
In both adults and children, meningitis is treated exclusively in an inpatient setting (in the infectious diseases department). Therapy involves the use of penicillin antibiotics (amoxil, flemoxin, benzylpenicillin). Antibiotics are used no more than a week. Also, treatment involves reducing intracranial pressure and eliminating symptoms of toxicosis. Piracetam and Nootropil are used to restore the functioning of nerve cells and blood vessels; with the help of dexamethasone, kenalog, hydrocortisone and methylprednisolone, therapy is carried out against inflammatory processes in the body.
Timely treatment can improve the child's condition in 2-3 days and lead to a full recovery.
Complications of meningitis in children
Often, meningitis has serious consequences, including toxic shock, accumulation of excess fluid in the brain, its edema and swelling, cerebroasthenia gravis, acute adrenal insufficiency. The latter complication, as well as infectious-toxic shock and wedging of the medulla oblongata into the foramen magnum can lead to death.
To avoid the threat of complications, children who have already recovered should be subject to dispensary registration, regularly undergo examination by a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist and neuropathologist. The child is removed from the register no earlier than two years after suffering from meningitis and only if there are no residual effects of this disease.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
