Bacterial Meningitis in Children

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Causes

Signs/Symptoms

Care

Risks

IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE HOSPITAL...

What to Expect While You're There

• Room: A quiet room with dim lights may make your child more comfortable. To keep from spreading the disease, he or she will be kept away from others. Care givers will wear a face mask and gown to keep from getting the disease. This may scare the child, but it is a necessary safety measure.
• Emotional Support: You may stay with your child to provide comfort and support. The child will feel safer in the hospital with you close by.
• Hand Washing: Wash your hands after each visit with your child to keep from spreading the infection.
• Antibiotics: These bacteria-killing medicines will be given by IV for at least 10 days to fight the infection.
• Neuro Signs: The doctor will watch your child's eye movements, check to see if the child is fully awake, and take note of how he or she moves around. These are important signs of how well the brain is handling the infection.
• Lumbar Puncture: Also called a spinal tap. In this procedure, fluid is taken from the child's spine and sent for tests.
• CT Scan (also called a ""CAT'' scan): This computer-assisted x-ray will be used to examine the brain.
• EEG (also called an electroencephalogram (e-lek-tro-en-SEF-uh-lo-gram): This is a brain wave study. It will be used to check for any possible damage to the brain.
• Taking Vital Signs: These include your child's temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting the heartbeats), and respirations (counting the breaths). A stethoscope is used to listen to the child's heart and lungs. Blood pressure is taken by wrapping a cuff around the child's arm. None of these procedures cause any pain.
• Pulse Oximeter: Your child may be hooked up to a pulse oximeter (ox-IM-ih-ter). It is placed on the ear, finger, or toe and is connected to a machine that measures the oxygen in the child's blood.
• Oxygen: May be given using nasal prongs or a face mask.
• IV: A tube placed in your child's veins for giving medicine or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to it.
• Intake/Output: Nurses will carefully watch how much liquid your child is getting and how much he or she is urinating.
• ECG: Also called a heart monitor, an electrocardiograph (e-LEK-tro-CAR-dee-o-graf), or EKG. The patches on your child's chest are hooked up to a TV-type screen. This screen shows a tracing of each heartbeat. The heart will be watched for signs of injury or damage related to the infection.
• Blood: Usually taken from a vein in your child's hand or from the bend in the elbow. Tests will be done on this blood.
• Blood Gases: Blood is taken from an artery in the wrist, elbow, or groin. It is tested to see how much oxygen is in it.
• Chest X-rays: These pictures of the heart and lungs will show how they are handling the illness.

After You Leave

• Be sure to give your child the medicine prescribed by your doctor exactly as directed. Finish all the medicine even if the child is feeling better.
• Encourage the child to rest, drink liquids, and eat healthy foods. He or she can slowly return to normal activity.
• Make an appointment to see the doctor. It is very important to keep this follow-up appointment. Your doctor will check for any lasting effects of the infection.
• Meningitis can cause hearing problems, so your child's hearing should be tested. Ask your doctor how often this should be done.
• Family members and others in close contact with your child may be asked to take antibiotics. This will keep the infection from spreading to others.

Call Your Doctor If...

• The child has a high temperature.
• New signs or symptoms appear, such as rash, swelling, or trouble breathing. These may be a side effect of the child's medicine.

Seek Care Immediately If...

• The child has a seizure.
• You feel the child is getting sicker.
• Anyone else in the family develops symptoms of meningitis such as fever, vomiting, stiff neck, back pain, fussiness, headache, sleepiness, or confusion.

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