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Complications of Meningitis in Children

Meningitis is the infection and swelling of the meninges (lining of the brain and spinal cord). Bacteria or viruses cause meningitis. Untreated meningitis in children (especially bacterial meningitis) can lead to serious, life-threatening and life-altering complications. Appropriate and timely treatment of meningitis can greatly minimize these complications.

  1. Early Complications

    • Bacterial meningitis can cause high fevers, as high as 103 degrees F or more. Untreated high fevers can cause seizures. Inflammation of the meninges (lining of the brain and spinal cord) can cause severe pain and headache. The child may develop photophobia in which bright light becomes painful to the eyes. The neck and back can become stiff and painful. The child with meningitis may become nauseous and vomit. Excessive vomiting can lead to dehydration.

    Sepsis

    • Sepsis (blood infection) occurs when the bacteria or virus spreads from the brain or spinal cord and enters the bloodstream. Once the child becomes septic, he may experience low blood pressure, decreased urine output, and multi-system organ failure.

    Increased ICP

    • Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is the increase of pressure in the brain. The skull is rigid after the fontanels (soft spots on a baby's skull) close. The skull holds the brain, blood and cerebral spinal fluid. There is only so much room. Once the brain begins to swell because of meningitis, the pressure increases and can lead to increased confusion, lethargy, projectile vomiting (forceful vomiting that may land across the room), decreased heart rate, increased blood pressure, decreased respiratory rate and eventual death.

    Developmental Delay

    • A small percentage of those children surviving meningitis may become developmentally delayed. The severity of the delay may range from a slight learning disability to a child who has become vegetative and requires total care. Children surviving meningitis may also develop a seizure disorder. Most seizure disorders are successfully treated with medication.

    Amputation

    • Meningitis caused by the bacteria Nesseria meningitides (meningococcal meningitis) can spread throughout the body via the blood (sepsis) and eventually cause severe vessel and nerve damage to the fingers, toes, arms, legs, ears, nose and other parts of the body. Sometimes the damage is so great that the only treatment is amputation.

    Death

    • One or a combination of the more serious complications can lead to death with or without treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 5 to 10 percent of those infected with meningococcal meningitis will die within 24 to 48 hours of onset of symptoms will die. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), treatment of the most common types of bacterial meningitis with appropriate antibiotics can reduce the risk of death to less than 15 percent.

    Diagnosis and Prevention

    • Diagnosis by a health care provider is based on symptoms, and a lumbar puncture in which spinal fluid is collected and analyzed. Meningitis, especially meningococcal meningitis, is treated as a medical emergency. Patients are hospitalized and treated with antibiotics. Usual intravenous antibiotics are penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin and ceftriaxone. Prevention of meningococcal meningitis (one of the most dangerous) includes a one-dose vaccination. The meningococcal vaccine provides over 85 percent protection. Make a habit of good hand washing. Do not share food, drinks, toothbrushes or anything else that can spread respiratory droplets.

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