Meningitis: Is My Child at Risk?

Meningitis is a potentially deadly disease that affects more than 1 million people annually worldwide. Signs and symptoms of meningitis are high fever, headache, vomiting, rashes over the body, stiff neck sensitive to bright irritability, seizures, drowsiness and death. Meningitis can affect people of all ages, mostly babies, children and adults. It may be fatal within 24 hours.Some types meningitis are preventable by vaccines.

Important points to note for Meningitis Infection:

• You need to keep the patient in isolation – Sharing household items such as toothbrushes, cutlery, cigarette, towel etc can help in the spread of infection.
• If there is an epidemic, avoid the common areas – It is thought the bacteria are able to invade the body more easily via the nose throat during winter due to recent infection with a flu virus. For this, some type of meningitis can spread through swimming pools.
• Carriers can also infect – The illness can be caught from someone who is ill with meningitis and can also be contracted through from someone who is a carrier meaning thereby that the person is only carrying the infection and himself /herself is not affected by the same. Such an aspect that can adverse effects when the break is in places that are overcrowded like hostels, boarding schools, military bases, universities, slums etc.
• Be careful in crowded places – Crowded conditions at religious gatherings also put people at an increased risk of contracting meningitis.Be careful around people who have meningitis.
• Opt for the vaccines – For the preventable meningitis vaccine consult medical specialists.

We all should trust our instincts and should not wait until meningitis threatens life. Most meningitis is caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi, which often lives in our own bodies. Usually, these germs stay in the intestines or in nose and throat, where they may or may not make us sick. But if they spread to cause meningitis they can lead inflammation, an immediate sign of the disease. If you are suffering from fever and some unexplained inflammation, consult your doctor immediately.