Meningitis: the symptoms and consequences of the disease, which is more common in children and adults

The main risk category for the occurrence of such a disease as meningitis, the symptoms and consequences of which are very dangerous and unpredictable, are children and adolescents. This is due to the fact that their immune system does not yet know how to deal with many microbes. And if a pathogen that can penetrate the brain gets into such an organism, then, as long as the "defense" is "trained," inflammation of the meninges may well occur.

To people who suffer from a chronic disease of the nervous system, to premature babies, to babies who have undergone intrauterine brain damage, meningitis is the most "clingy". Symptoms and consequences of it in such people is much harder.

How does meningitis appear in adults and children (not babies)?

Manifestation of meningitis begins sharply, against a background of complete health. Although more often his symptoms appear after manifestations of a cold (cough, weakness, runny nose, perspiration in the throat), less often - after diarrhea, sometimes - against the background of already subsiding phenomena of measles, chickenpox, rubella or mumps. Bacterial meningitis, the symptoms and consequences of which are the most dangerous, can develop on the background of treatment (or not seeking help) of otitis, purulent rhinitis, sinusitis, frontal and even pneumonia. It can be a complication of purulent inflammation of the eye, as well as boils or carbuncles located on the face or neck.

How to recognize meningitis?

Knowledge of certain symptoms will help.

1. Raise body temperature. She could already fall back on the background of treatment of another disease or was absent altogether, but when meningitis develops, the temperature rises again. Usually - to high figures, but this is not an obligatory criterion.
2. Headache: strong, diffuse, accompanied by nausea and / or vomiting. At first, it calms down when taking pain medication, then it becomes increasingly difficult to take it off. The pain increases with rising, straining, turning the head, bright light and loud sounds.
3. The increased sensitivity of the entire skin, that is, a person just touched, tried to wash or wipe it, and he screams in pain.
4. The fact that it is meningitis, the symptoms and consequences of which in this case are burdened, can be judged by the appearance of convulsions of any intensity (with the stopping of breathing or simply with a "glazed" look and unawareness of the relatives) and duration.
5. There may be dizziness.
6. Rash. The meningococcal and some other infections (the most dangerous) are indicated by a dark rash that first appears on the buttocks, then on the legs, forearms, hips and shoulders, only later on the trunk and face.
7. Inadequacy of behavior (aggressiveness, drowsiness, hallucinations, delirium), which usually appears some time after the person complained of a headache.

The consequences of meningitis are completely different, and none of the most qualified specialists can predict them in the acute period.

Usually after meningitis for a long time there are severe headaches "on the weather," a memory and attention violation . But there may be strabismus, blindness, and deafness.

Meningitis: Symptoms and Consequences in Toddlers

• Swelling of a large fontanel;
• Monotonous crying, and the child resists being picked up;
• Cramps in the background of a temperature below 38 degrees;
• Lethargy, drowsiness, sometimes - the inability to wake a child;
• Vomiting with a "fountain".

At the same time, body temperature is elevated. There may be a rash, but this is not an obligatory symptom.

The consequences for children are usually not so severe. Headache and violations of concentration, behavior, attention and memory are almost always present, strabismus is also a common residual symptom, but blindness or deafness is rare.