By Emilio Sanchez
Miami-Dade Health
Meningitis is one of those diseases that parents and doctors fear the most. Meningitis is the medical term for inflammation of the tissues (meninges) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, and it’s most commonly caused by a virus or a bacterium.
Common signs and symptoms of the disease include fever, cold hands, vomiting, drowsy, difficult to wake, confusion, and irritability. Other symptoms are severe muscle pain, headache, convulsions, limb pain, pale skin, neck stiffness, eye discomfort in bright light (called photophobia), and confusion. Meningitis can be deadly, that’s why it’s so important to act fast and seek medical treatment.
Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency that must be treated as quickly as possible. With timely diagnosis and the right medication and care, children can make a full recovery. The treatment will depend on whether it is viral or bacterial. In the second case, the child must stay at least two weeks in the hospital.
Though bacterial meningitis is not spread through casual contact or the airborne route, some bacteria can be spread by close contact with respiratory droplets, the way it happens, for example, in daycare settings. This is one of the reasons why this disease hits children the hardest.
One of the most effective ways to prevent the onset of meningitis is to periodically vaccinate children in order to avoid all types of infections. Another way, equally effective, is to reinforce hygienic measures, wash hands frequently, both you and your children, and avoid direct contact with sick people.
