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Viral Meningitis Symptoms in Children

Viral meningitis is essentially an infection that causes the membranes and fluid that surround the spinal cord and brain to become inflamed. That's really all that this particular condition entails. However, if left untreated, viral meningitis can cause complications that are both serious and life-threatening, especially at an early age. Children sometimes can't quite verbalize what is going on with them. As a parent, you need to know what to look for in the signs and symptoms that often accompany this condition.

  1. Fever

    • One of the most common symptoms of viral meningitis in children involves a fever. It can start as a fairly mild fever, about 99.5 degrees F, and go up from there. Typically, the fever will come on quite quickly and may even immediately follow another illness entirely.

    Headache

    • With viral meningitis, you may begin to hear your child complain of a headache. While this headache may be mild, it's still wise to pay attention to this signal with kids. The headache that often comes with viral meningitis is largely because of inflammation of the membrane and fluid surrounding the brain.

    Stiffness

    • You also might begin to notice that your child has some difficulties with neck movement. This is because another hallmark of viral meningitis is a stiff neck, for lack of a better term. Since the area around the spinal cord, including the neck, will become inflamed, the range of motion will become rather limited, impeding the rotation within this area of the body.

    Lethargy

    • For a number of children, the infection of viral meningitis can cause them to become rather lethargic. They might seem overly sleepy or tired, need more prompting to get up and be motivated or even lack the interest to do the things they normally enjoy, such as playing, reading or other "fun" activities.

    Irritability

    • If your child is relatively even-tempered, this particular symptom can serve as a good warning sign for viral meningitis. Sometimes, this type of infection can cause your child to become far more irritable, short-tempered or testy than normal. This is partly because of the way he feels overall, but could be the body's reaction to the virus that is now in his system.

    Rash

    • Some children develop a rash from viral meningitis. It's almost like an allergic reaction to the virus in their system. This rash can develop anywhere on the body, but will typically be accompanied by other symptoms, such as a fever, headache and lethargy.

    Sensitivity

    • If the infection is left untreated, your child may begin to develop photophobia, which is a visual sensitivity to light, according to the Nemours Foundation, one of the largest healthcare providers for children. You may notice this sensitivity from the light of a window, the lamp in the room or simply the sun itself.

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