Serous meningitis in children
The inflammatory process affecting the meninges is called meningitis... One of its options is the serous form. In this case, leukocytes and inflammatory elements are present in the cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment of the disease must be carried out on time. Delay can lead to dangerous complications.
What is it?
Inflammation in the membranes of the spinal cord and brain begins after exposure to a provoking factor. These can be both external agents and internal ones. Most often, serous meningitis is of a viral nature. In about 85% of cases, the disease is caused by various viruses.
The most common causes leading to the disease can be noted:
Viral infections. In most cases - adenoviral variants. Adenoviruses are highly resistant to adverse environmental factors and easily spread through the air. Babies often get sick with airborne droplets. After 3-5 days, the first clinical symptoms appear.
Bacterial. With a mild course, they can also cause serous inflammation. The coccal flora is highly neurotoxic and rapidly damages the nervous system. Penetrating through the blood-brain barrier, bacteria multiply quickly enough in the child's body and contribute to the development of inflammation.
Traumatic injuries. The most common option is the consequences of a birth injury. In older children, serous meningitis can occur as a complication of traumatic brain injury resulting from an accident or accident. The course of the disease in such a situation is usually quite severe. Mandatory consultation with a neurosurgeon is required.
Congenital pathologies. Such cases occur when expectant mothers become infected with measles or rubella viruses during pregnancy. The baby, being in the mother's womb, can also easily become infected. The consequences of infection are quite dangerous. Born babies have mental and neurological disorders.
Causes and provoking factors
Not a single child is immune from the development of serous meningitis. Even a perfectly healthy baby with infection and a decrease in general immunity can develop this dangerous disease. The viral etiology of the disease does not allow specialists to come up with effective vaccines that would prevent all possible variants of the disease. For some children, the risk is significantly increased.
Risk groups include:
Premature babies and babies with extremely low birth weight. As a rule, such children are not yet well-formed and functioning immune system. This leads to a high susceptibility of the child's body to various infectious diseases. The nervous system of a premature baby is also not well adapted to the external environment.
Congenital or birth trauma to the head, as well as damage to the organs of the nervous system. With various types of traumatic brain injury, babies may show signs of serous inflammation. The damaged meninges are quickly drawn into the inflammatory process. The disease can develop in the first days after the birth of the baby.
Intrauterine infection. Rubella infection is most dangerous for the future fetus. Also, in some cases, infection with the Epstein-Bara virus can lead to the development of meningitis.
Congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies. The low level of the immune system does not allow the child's body to cope with any infection. The leukocyte blood link, which is designed to fight against foreign agents, practically does not fulfill its duties. As a result, the multiplication of microorganisms in the body occurs rapidly and inflammation increases rapidly.
Incubation period
The first clinical signs in serous meningitis appear quite early. The incubation period for viral inflammations is usually 3-5 days. With rubella - this period can be 2 weeks. During the incubation period, the baby's illness practically does not bother.
In some cases, attentive mothers may notice some change in the child's behavior. The kid becomes more silent, naughty, more begs for hands.
Some babies may have decreased appetite and some sleep disturbance. However, the general condition of the child during the incubation period suffers slightly. The main manifestations of the disease occur in a few days.
Symptoms and first signs
It is often difficult to recognize serous meningitis at home. A pediatrician will be able to determine this disease after examining the child and checking for special, characteristic meningeal signs.
Seek advice from a doctor with suspected meningitis, mom should when the following manifestations appear:
Increased body temperature. Usually up to 38-39 degrees. With a more severe course, the temperature can even rise to 39.5. It decreases poorly even under the influence of antipyretic drugs. The usual dosages of paracetamol do not have a pronounced clinical effect.
Severe headache. It is usually spilled, without clear localization. The pain syndrome increases with a change in body position or focusing of vision. The horizontal position brings more comfort for the baby. Children try to lie down more, throwing their heads back a little. This is a characteristic meningeal posture.
Sore muscles on the back of the neck. This is due to the manifestation of the rigidity of the occipital muscles. Pulling the legs to the abdomen can increase the pain syndrome. This symptom appears due to nerve damage and inflammation of the meninges of the spinal cord.
General pronounced weakness. In the acute period of the disease, the baby's health suffers greatly. Children refuse to eat, become very sleepy. They practically do not play with toys. Infants refuse breastfeeding, they may spit up more often.
Severe nausea. This symptom is a classic manifestation of meningitis and occurs in 90% of cases. Throughout the day, babies feel a strong feeling of heaviness behind the breastbone and constant nausea. Against the background of a high fever or severe headache, even vomiting may occur. It is usually very abundant and one-time. Nausea or vomiting occurs unrelated to meals.
Muscle soreness. More often, when trying to bring the legs to the abdomen or torso, the pain syndrome increases significantly. Soreness can also occur in the cervical spine.
When infected with enterovirus infection, abdominal pain and stool disorders... These symptoms can also exacerbate dyspeptic symptoms and lead to increased nausea.
The appearance of a rash. This symptom is characteristic only for those viral infections that occur with the appearance of skin rash elements. Most often it can occur with meningococcal infection, as well as rubella or measles. In more rare cases, the appearance of serous meningitis is recorded with chickenpox.
In rare severe cases - the appearance of seizures and clouding of consciousness... With an unfavorable course of the disease, even a coma may occur. This condition requires urgent hospitalization of the baby in the intensive care unit.
Diagnostics
Establishing the correct diagnosis is a necessary precondition for the appointment of timely and effective treatment. Today, the diagnosis of serous forms of meningitis plays a leading role in pediatrics. A huge number of adverse consequences that occur after an illness attach great importance to diagnostic procedures.
One of the simplest and most affordable diagnostic methods is a complete blood count. It allows you to clarify the etiology of the process. The leukocyte formula shows the presence of the viral flora that caused the inflammatory process. Accelerated ESR also indicates the presence of inflammation. By analyzing blood counts, doctors can determine if there are complications.
No less informative diagnostic method is bacteriological research. The test material can be saliva, urine, or blood. With the help of special analyzers, laboratory doctors detect the causative agent of the disease. During these bacteriological tests, you can also determine the sensitivity of the microbe to various medications.
Serological blood tests can detect specific antibodies. For these tests, venous blood is drawn. After a couple of days, as a rule, doctors have a finished result. With the help of this analysis, it is possible to say with a high degree of probability which pathogen caused the disease.
In doubtful cases, neurologists resort to the collection of cerebrospinal fluid. This analysis is usually prescribed during the differential diagnosis of serous and purulent meningitis. It also helps to exclude rare forms of the disease. For example, the tuberculous variant. The abundance of leukocytes in the cerebrospinal (CSF) fluid allows us to clarify the nature of the inflammation.
Treatment methods
All forms of meningitis must be treated in a hospital setting. This disease is very dangerous. A huge number of possible complications can develop spontaneously, even despite the ongoing treatment. A sick child requires constant monitoring of the side of medical workers.
Treatment of the disease is complex. The main principle of therapy is to eliminate the cause of the disease and reduce adverse symptoms. If meningitis is of a viral nature, then antiviral and immunostimulating drugs are prescribed to the child. Such drugs are administered intravenously for better absorption of the active ingredients that make up the composition.
For bacterial forms of meningitis, various antibiotics are used. Currently, children's doctors prefer antibacterial drugs with a wide spectrum of action. These drugs work well against various microbes and have a good tolerance profile. The most commonly prescribed macrolides or injectable cephalosporins of the latest generations.
To reduce headaches and prevent cerebral edema, doctors use diuretics. Diuretic drugs can effectively reduce intracranial pressure and relieve the baby from persistent pain. In a severe course of the disease, the use of diuretics is carried out in the conditions of the intensive care unit.
Some babies, especially under three years old, may experience complications from the cardiovascular system. Various forms of arrhythmias appear most often. To treat such rhythm disturbances, doctors resort to prescribing special antiarrhythmic drugs based on propanol or beta-blockers.
To maintain immunity and quickly recover from meningitis, babies are injected with injectable forms of B vitamins. These drugs have a positive effect on the nervous system and contribute to the speedy regeneration of damaged meninges.
Hospital stay
European and Russian clinical guidelines include the obligatory presence of a child in a children's hospital for the entire duration of meningitis therapy. Newborns or babies undergo drug treatment in specialized units. Medical institutions providing care to sick children with meningitis must be equipped with all the necessary resuscitation equipment.
Is home treatment possible?
In severe cases of the disease or in babies under one year old, at the first signs of meningitis, compulsory hospitalization is required. Delay in providing medical care can trigger life-threatening complications. Monitoring the baby at home is possible only during the recovery period. This condition is necessary for the complete recovery of the child's body after a severe infection.
Consequences and possible complications
With the right treatment, most children generally recover. However, some babies may have different consequences. All complications after serous meningitis can be divided:
Lungs: memory and attention disorders, fatigue, inability to concentrate. For several months after suffering from meningitis, babies may complain of a moderate headache.
Severe: the development of heart and renal failure due to infectious systemic inflammation, arrhythmias, episyndrome, muscle contraction disorders.
Prevention
To minimize the possibility of contracting various infections that can lead to meningitis, you should remember that personal hygiene measures must be followed.
Each kid should have his own mug, cutlery. Towels and hygiene products for children must be washed at least twice a week. In newborn babies - every day.
During epidemic outbreaks of infections in educational institutions, babies should be quarantined. It usually lasts 1-2 weeks. Such a forced measure helps to significantly reduce the risk of possible infection and protect the baby from infection.
Strengthening immunity - also plays an important role in maintaining good health.
Walking and playing outdoors is a great way to keep your immune system working well.
Correct treatment of serous meningitis avoids the appearance of formidable complications and leads to recovery. It should be remembered that when the first signs of inflammation appear, you must definitely consult a doctor. Timely diagnostics and the appointment of drug therapy will save lives and preserve the health of the baby.
For more information on what constitutes meningitis in children and how to prevent your child from getting sick, see the next video.
