Menigitis in Babies

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes lining the spinal cord and brain and is a very serious condition, particularly in babies. The disease is caused by either a virus or bacteria and both forms require immediate medical intervention. Without treatment, babies with meningitis are at risk for deafness, mental retardation and death so get help immediately if you think there's even a small chance your child is infected.

Signs

• Meningitis is difficult to recognize because symptoms vary from person to person but the most common signs are a fever, headache, stiff neck and light sensitivity. Other symptoms include vomiting, excessive sleepiness, difficulty breathing, skin rash, cold hands and feet, diarrhea, refusal to feed, irritability, shivering and blotchy skin. This condition requires early treatment and only a professional can diagnose it.

Viral

• Viral meningitis is usually a milder form of the disease that goes away on its own in about 10 days. Although viral meningitis does not always require treatment, any type of meningitis should be monitored by a professional so don't try to handle it without first seeing your baby's doctor. He may prescribe medication and will offer instructions on treating discomfort while baby recovers.

Bacterial

• Bacterial meningitis is extremely serious and comes on quickly, requiring immediate treatment. Your baby may spend up to two weeks in the hospital connected to an IV while receiving antibiotics in her bloodstream. This form of treatment cures meningitis about 85 percent of the time, assuming help is sought within a day of the appearance of symptoms. Only a doctor can determine whether meningitis is viral or bacterial because symptoms are nearly the same so never try to diagnose the disease at home.

Cause

• Meningitis is usually caused by common enteroviruses, herpes simplex, group B streptococci (GBS) and Haemophilus influenzae type B. However, it's unclear why some children develop meningitis from these common bacteria and viruses while others don't. Anyone can get meningitis but children with weakened immune systems, serious head injuries or sickle-cell disease are at greater risk. Newborns may contract meningitis during birth if their mothers are infected with group B strep bacteria.

Prevention

• While you can't safeguard your baby against meningitis entirely, you can vaccinate her against some of the disease's common causes. Make sure she receives vaccines for Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Pneumococcus bacteria and Neisseria meningitides. Pregnant women should also be tested for group B strep and be given antibiotics if results are positive. Fortunately, meningitis is usually not as highly contagious as other illnesses, like the flu, so only people who have close contact with an infected person are a high risk for contracting it from others.