The first symptoms of meningitis in children and adults

Meningitis is a life-threatening disease, when it occurs, sometimes it's not just a matter of days, but even hours. Most often it has a secondary character, that is, it arises as a complication of bacterial diseases of the ear, throat, nose, lungs, blood infection. Meningitis can complicate the course of almost any viral illness: rubella, chicken pox, mumps, mononucleosis, measles, which are usually treated at home. Therefore, it is important for a person not only to follow all the doctor's recommendations, but also to know the first symptoms of meningitis.

How can meningitis start?

Viral meningitis usually occurs against the background of an existing viral disease. That is, first a person complains of a runny nose, fever, a rash (if it's measles, rubella, chicken pox), cough. Then the first symptoms of meningitis appear: severe headache, lethargy, drowsiness, repeated (or even greater) fever. To the headache, convulsions with respiratory disturbances, oppression of consciousness, delirium, inadequacy of behavior, hallucinations can quickly join. These signs, especially those that have arisen in the background of a previous minor ailment, a feeling of perspiration or discomfort in the throat, can mean that in this case there is a herpetic meningitis that is very dangerous for life and leaves serious consequences even with timely adequate specific therapy. Therefore, in this case, an emergency call and a trip to an infectious inpatient facility should not be postponed for a minute.

The first symptoms of meningitis in the case of its bacterial origin

1. If it arises against the background of otitis, pneumonia, a constant outflow of cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) from the ear or nose, a person marks an intense headache, which is practically not removed by an anesthetic pill, the body temperature rises. Sometimes the patient notices that it becomes impossible to reach the sternum with his chin.

Other first signs of meningitis in adults: a person tries to lie more, with sharp turns of the head, he notes the increased headache. It hurts to look at the light, the head "splits" with loud sounds, there is often also a sensitive skin (light touch to the skin is very unpleasant). Appetite disappears, and when you try to eat and drink, you experience nausea, vomiting. There is no diarrhea.

In such cases, especially when the cerebrospinal fluid flows continuously from the nose or ear, the confusion of the mind, delirium, inadequacy, loss of orientation in time and place, inhibition, convulsions with stopping of breathing quickly join the listed symptoms.

2. In the case of meningococcal infection, the first symptoms of meningitis (headache, increased skin sensitivity, nausea and vomiting) can occur against the background of high fever and characteristic rash, less often against the background of a runny nose with yellow or white discharge and slight malaise.

The appearance of a rash of a dark color, which does not itch and does not hurt, does not turn pale when you press it with transparent glass - this is an indication for an emergency call of an ambulance. Such a rash is not a symptom of meningitis per se, it is a sign of meningococcal (less often - hemophilic or pneumococcal) infection, its septic form, which can cause death of a person. In case of an incomprehensible rash, in no case should you wait for the appearance of drowsiness or headache, as precious time is wasted.

Meningitis: the first symptoms in children

Children who are already able to speak, often also complain of a headache, which appeared against the background of high fever, when taking an analgesic pain for a short time passes, the child for some time may even lose its usual activity. Also, there is nausea, sometimes - vomiting, regardless of food intake, the baby will try to lie more.

In infants, the first symptoms can be considered as the first excitement, when the child does not calm down, and even more crying, if you take it in your arms, then there is drowsiness on the background of increased to different digits (often up to 39-40 degrees) body temperature. Then the child becomes more drowsy, lies, trying to tilt the head, crying at the inclusion of light or loud sounds. He also has vomiting, often - repeated.

Signs of meningitis in children up to a year are also considered the bulging of a large fontanel (it should be level with the bones of the skull), convulsions that occur with normal or slightly elevated body temperature (up to 38 degrees), a rash of dark color, flexing of the legs, if the child is kept " .