You've probably heard about tragic meningitis cases on the
news at one point or another, but it may have seemed like a rare
disease that couldn't affect your kids. True, bacterial
meningitis isn't very common. But the illness is usually
serious and can be life-threatening if it's not treated right
away.
That's why a national advocacy group is urging moms and dads
to make sure their kids get a routine vaccine to help fend off
meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain
and spinal cord.
The immunization could protect children against a potentially
deadly disease that some parents may not have thought twice about,
says the National Meningitis Foundation, an organization founded by
the parents of kids who've died or live with permanent
disabilities from meningococcal disease. The vaccine provides
protection from meningococcal disease - a serious bacterial
infection that can
lead
to bacterial meningitis.
Although meningococcal infections are rare, bacterial meningitis
is highly contagious. And for 15% of teens who get it, meningitis
causes long-term problems (like hearing loss, learning
disabilities, and brain damage). And it kills about 10% of
adolescents who are infected, says the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC).
Kids can get meningitis at any age but teens, college students,
and boarding-school students are at higher risk for infection
because the disease can be easily spread between people living in
close quarters.
More on Meningitis
Viral meningitis (also called aseptic meningitis) is pretty
common and a lot less serious than bacterial meningitis. The viral
form of the illness tends to cause flu-like symptoms (like fever,
headache, and runny nose) and may be so mild that it goes
undiagnosed. Luckily, most cases of viral meningitis go away on
their own within 7 to 10 days without any complications or need for
treatment.
But the symptoms of meningitis vary and depend on how old the
child is and what caused the infection. And the flu-like symptoms
can be very similar in both types of meningitis.
The first signs of bacterial or viral meningitis can come on
quickly (in a matter of hours) or surface over several days after a
child has had a cold and runny nose, diarrhea and vomiting, or
other signs of an infection. Other common symptoms include:
- fever (often high)
- exhaustion
- irritability
- headache
- photophobia (eye sensitivity to light)
- stiff neck
- skin rashes
- seizures
Infants with meningitis may show a different array of symptoms,
like:
- irritability
- trouble being comforted, even when picked up or rocked
- excessive sleepiness
- jaundice (a yellowish tint to the skin)
- stiffness of the body and neck
- fever or lower-than-normal temperature
- poor feeding
- a weak suck
- a high-pitched cry
- bulging fontanelles (the soft spot at the top/front of the
baby's skull)
The good news is that meningitis can be treated successfully if
it's diagnosed right away. That's why it's important to
know the signs of meningitis and seek medical care immediately if
you think your child might have it.
The vaccine can also help keep kids from ever getting the
disease in the first place. The American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) recommends the meningitis vaccine for children:
- between 11 and 12 years old at their routine check-up
- ages 13 to 18 who still haven't gotten the vaccine,
especially if they're going to college, boarding school,
camp, or the military
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved
the vaccine for 2- to 10-year-olds who are at increased risk of
getting meningococcal disease. That includes kids who:
- will be traveling to countries where meningitis is
common
- have had their spleen take out or whose spleen isn't
working right
- have a condition called "terminal complement component
deficiency," which makes it hard for their bodies to combat
infections
- live in an area that has experience recent outbreaks of
bacterial meningitis
Also, talk to your doctor about whether your kids should get the
vaccine again if it's been 3 or more years since they were
immunized against meningitis. And other routine vaccines can
protect kids against meningitis that could be caused by other
microorganisms, too, like
Haemophilus influenza type b
(Hib), measles, mumps, polio, and pneumococcus.
To ensure that your kids get all of the vaccines they need to
help protect them from potentially devastating diseases, be sure to
make and keep all well-child checkup appointments. If you have
teens heading off to college, make extra sure that all of their
immunizations are up to date - including the meningitis
vaccine.
Reviewed by:
Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: September 2008
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2009 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. All rights reserved.