Parents should be on the lookout for 8 signs of meningitis in children

Meningitis in young children is one of the most serious but common diseases. Therefore, aFamilyToday Health always wants to bring information about how to detect diseases and symptoms that need special attention.

Meningitis is a disease associated with an infection of the lining that protects the brain and spinal cord. The cause of the disease can vary from person to person, but the signs of meningitis in young children are relatively similar. Here are the signs that parents need to look out for:

1. Sudden fever

One of the symptoms of meningitis in young children is the sudden onset of a fever includes the baby's shivering and continually telling adults it is cold. The patient's temperature rises very quickly, along with the difficulty of reducing fever. However, this condition is also a sign of many other diseases, so parents should also pay attention to other changes when the baby has a fever.

2. Severe headache

Meningitis headaches are often not simply severe, but also unbearable for your baby. What's more, the pain can affect a child's neck with little attention. Bulging fontanelle is also an important sign of meningitis in a newborn.

3. Double vision

If your child has meningitis, he will not be able to focus his eyesight, which is why he looks at an object in two.

4. Stomach pain, vomiting and nausea

When meningitis in young children appears, children will also lose their appetite. This is partly due to persistent nausea accompanied by stomach pain and vomiting .

5. Sensitivity to light

Another symptom of meningitis in young children is being particularly sensitive to bright light as it can cause watery eyes and nausea along with headaches to worsen.

6. occipital muscles harden

Parents can detect which children have membrane inflammation by recognizable lying position: Lie sideways with head tilted and legs down. Besides, all attempts to correct posture are ineffective.

7. Can't stretch legs

Even if you turn the baby's body to lie up straight, the baby's knees will immediately curl and the baby will be fussy if parents continue to try to straighten their legs in this position. The above phenomenon called Brudziński neck sign can appear in meningitis when the patient is unable to extend his leg if it is raised to about 90 °.

8. Skin rash

Skin rash may also be associated with meningitis. You only need to do a little test to find out if your baby has the disease or not. The steps include:

• Take a clear glass, apply to the redness and press firmly against the skin until the skin becomes pale.

• If the rash becomes pale with the skin, the child does not have meningitis.

• If the rash does not go away, you should take your child to the doctor right away.

9. What should parents do?

Meningitis is a dangerous disease for young children, if you suspect that your child has the disease, parents should let their baby rest in the bedroom, limit the light to the maximum. When you see a doctor, report the symptoms you found.