Meningitis

What is meningitis?

Meningitis (say: men-in-JIE-tis) is an infection of the fluid around a person's spinal cord and brain. This fluid is called cerebrospinal fluid or CSF.

Meningitis is sometimes called spinal meningitis.

Meningitis

Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, which are the thin layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis looks different in babies than in children

Children more than 2 years old

People who are more than 2 years old usually have the following symptoms of meningitis:

• high fever
• headache
• stiff neck

These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days.

Other symptoms of meningitis may include the following:

• feeling sick to the stomach (nausea)
• throwing up (vomiting)
• discomfort looking into bright lights
• confusion
• sleepiness

As the infection goes on, patients of any age may have seizures.

Babies and children up to 2 years old

In babies, meningitis looks different. Babies with meningitis may have the following symptoms:

• not moving much or doing much
• being irritable or cranky
• throwing up (vomiting)
• not feeding well

Babies may not have the symptoms older children get, such as fever, headache, and a stiff neck. If they do have these symptoms, it can be hard to tell them apart from normal behaviour.

As the infection goes on, patients of any age may have seizures.

If you think your child might have meningitis, take him to a doctor right away

If your child has the symptoms described above, take him to see a doctor right away. It is very important to find and treat meningitis as soon as possible.

Lumbar Puncture

A small needle is inserted between two vertebrae in the lower (lumbar) spine. This is below the point where the spinal cord ends. A sample of cerebrospinal fluid is taken, and is sent to a lab for testing.

Doctors usually find out if a child has meningitis by testing the fluid around his brain and spinal cord (CSF). To get a sample of your child's CSF, the doctor will do a lumbar puncture. The doctor puts a needle into your child's spine, low down in your child's back where CSF is easily available. This is also called a spinal tap.

A lab will then test the sample. This test will show the type of meningitis. When the doctor knows which type of meningitis your child has, she can give your child the right treatment.

Meningitis is usually caused by a virus or bacteria

How your child is treated will depend on what is causing the meningitis.

Viral meningitis

If meningitis is caused by a virus, it is called viral meningitis. Viral meningitis is usually not very dangerous. It usually goes away without specific treatment.

Bacterial meningitis

If meningitis is caused by bacteria, it is called bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis can be very dangerous. It can cause brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disability.

Bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics that are given directly into your child's blood through an intravenous (IV) needle. Usually, these antibiotics can cure bacterial meningitis. It is important to start treatment as early as possible.

There are several types of bacterial meningitis. Antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people. For this reason, it is important to know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis.

Meningitis can be spread to other people

Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious. "Contagious" means they can spread to other people. The bacteria are spread when someone touches mucus from the mouth or nose of an infected person. Some ways to spread meningitis are:

• coughing
• kissing
• drinking from the same cup

Meningitis does not spread as easily as infections such as the common cold or the flu. It is not spread by casual contact. This means you cannot get meningitis by breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

Meningitis is an infection that must be reported to the Public Health Department. The Public Health Department in your area may contact you for more information about your child and how they got meningitis.

Avoiding close contact with meningitis patients

People who are likely to catch meningitis from an infected person include the following:

• a boyfriend or girlfriend
• family members in the same house
• people at a school or day care with the person with meningitis

These people are called "close contacts" of the person with meningitis.

If you or people in your family are close contacts of a person with meningitis, see your doctor. You may need to take antibiotics so that you do not get meningitis.

If your child is in hospital with meningitis

If your child is in hospital with meningitis, the staff caring for your child will need to make sure the infection does not spread to other people. These are some ways to prevent meningitis from spreading:

• Your child will be placed in a single room. He may not be able to visit the playroom. Ask the Child Life Specialist to bring toys and supplies to your room.
• Hospital staff will wear a mask, eye protection, gloves, and a gown when they visit, at least for the first 24 hours after your child has been on antibiotics.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after touching your child and before leaving your child’s room. Hospital staff should do this as well.
• You and other family members and close contacts may have to take antibiotics.

If you or anyone else who has visited becomes ill with symptoms of meningitis, let your child’s doctor or nurse know as soon as possible.

Vaccines can prevent some types of meningitis

There are vaccines (shots) that help prevent some types of bacterial meningitis. The following are some of the bacteria there are shots for:

• Haemophilus influenzae (Hib) meningitis
• Some types of Neisseria meningitides
• Many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae

These vaccines can help stop the disease from spreading to other people. These vaccines may be available free where you live. Ask your doctor.

Key points
Meningitis is an infection of the fluids in the brain and spinal column. There are several types of meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is usually treated with antibiotics. Some types of meningitis can be spread to other people. People in close contact with a person who has meningitis may also have to be treated with antibiotics. Some types of meningitis can be prevented with vaccines.

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