Meningitis definitely concerns you. Know more and get treated early.
Meningitis is a general term for various infections of the brain. The main causes can be divided into viral and bacterial. In children, it can lead to permanent brain damage or even death. You might feel that meningitis "doesn't concern you," but cases of meningitis are not uncommon around us. Increasing awareness of meningitis can greatly reduce the harm it causes.
At the age of 11, Jun (a pseudonym) suddenly developed a fever one day. The temperature wasn't high, not yet 38℃, and he had no cold symptoms such as coughing or a blocked nose. However, as his parents noticed his lymph nodes were a bit swollen, they took him to see a family doctor as a precaution. Jun was also taking Chinese medicine. The family doctor prescribed a 5-day course of antibiotics. On the third day of taking the medication, Jun's fever subsided, and his family was delighted, so they told Jun to stop taking the medicine.
Everyone thought the story ended here? No. A week later, Chun-zai suddenly developed a severe headache, a fever returned, and red rashes appeared on his chest and face. His family arranged for Chun-zai to see an ENT specialist. Although an MRI scan revealed a small blister in Chun-zai's sinus, it wasn't enough to cause such a severe headache. So, he was transferred to paediatrics. While Chun-zai didn't show typical meningitis symptoms, the severe headache still strongly suggested a connection to meningitis. Therefore, the doctor recommended Chun-zai have a spinal tap for testing, which revealed an elevated white blood cell count, likely related to a brain infection. Given that a confirmed meningitis diagnosis would require admission to the intensive care unit, the doctor transferred him to a public hospital that same day for more appropriate care.
Youngster was very fortunate to have attentive family members who took him to seek medical attention promptly. This is because the condition of meningitis can deteriorate rapidly, with severe cases potentially leading to death within 24 hours. There are also cases where it results in problems with intelligence, hearing, and mobility. The initial symptom of meningitis is fever, with typical symptoms including projectile vomiting, stiff neck, photophobia, and delirium. However, by the time these symptoms appear, the condition is usually very severe. I recommend that parents, should they find their child has a fever in addition to extreme lethargy or even hallucinations (such as claiming to see ghosts or hear voices speaking to them), seek medical help immediately.
Bacteria and viruses that can cause meningitis include Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b. They are spread in a similar way to influenza, via droplets and bodily fluids, so parents should constantly remind their children to pay attention to hygiene. Furthermore, there are vaccines available for Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus agalactiae, which parents can arrange for their children to receive.
Source: Capital Weekly
