Serous meningitis symptoms in children, incubation period

Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It can occur under the influence of another process or as an independent disease. Usually the symptoms are all similar, but in children there are some nonspecific symptoms. This disease is quite dangerous, requiring prompt treatment. Usually meningitis is most common in children because the blood brain barrier. It is permeable or insolvent, so the children suffer most. It also determines the severity of the disease. The incubation period of meningitis in children ranges from 2 to 10 days. Depending on the type and origin of the disease, to treatment choose an individual approach.

Causes of meningitis

Provoke disease of different causes. Sometimes it develops as a completely independent, in some cases, may be secondary. Often occurs secondary to complications after infectious diseases.

Contribute to the development of disease pathogens. Among them:

• meningococcus,
• pneumococcus,
• colon bacillus,
• streptococcal bacteria,
• Haemophilus wand,
• TB bacteria,
• viruses,
• amoebae.

The virus is considered to be one of the most clinically favorable. Transmission of diseases by airborne droplets or fecal-oral. So often in the locus of disease can cause outbreaks. After all, when coughing and sneezing, meningitis is spread around. But ill not all. The most difficult and is considered a rare amoebic meningitis. It can be picked up in geothermal reservoirs when ingested through the nose. In this case, most often be fatal.

If you do not start timely treatment, the disease causes complications, the consequences of which is pretty sad. In this case, may be reduced hearing, sight. Appears epileptic seizures, often there is dizziness and headache. Children have problems with mental development.

Type of disease

Divide the meningitis of any one scheme is quite difficult. After all, it is not only typical development but also in origin, localization, and even the process flow. In its origin it is:

• bacterial,
• viral,
• parasitic,
• fungal,
• mixed,
• nonspecific.

Characteristic of inflammation is serous or purulent, and the process may be acute or chronic. Thus it can be supplemented with recurrent and subacute period. Share meningitis by types and locations:

• diffuse,
• basal,
• local,
• convexital.

What affects the incubation period

The causative agent enters the body immediately begins to affect him. For this purpose it is necessary to multiply and adapt. So the incubation period depends on causative agent, trapped in the body and its quantity. Each case is absolutely individual.

So some of it may appear after 1-2 days, others get sick within 8-10 days.

Symptoms of meningitis

The first signs begin to develop after the end of the incubation period. Meningitis incubation period has a duration depending on the causative agent. Usually it is up to 10 days. But there are cases when it develops in a few hours.

Adults and children almost all the similar symptoms, but in children, there are also non-specific in the form of anxiety, restlessness.

Common symptoms:

• rise in temperature,
• pale skin,
• muscle soreness,
• increased heart rate,
• dyspnea,
• loss of appetite,
• thirst.

In patients with severe course of disease reduced blood pressure. Because they are constantly thirsty, then refusal of water can be an unfavorable sign of the disease.

Meningeal syndromes

They are cerebral symptoms that help to quickly identify the disease. Among syndromes exist:

• headache,
• dizziness,
• light and soukoban,
• vomiting.

Headache appears toxic effect on the body. The pathogen affects the lining of the brain, increasing intracranial pressure. This symptom appears in all cases. Pain is noted in its intensity, bursting feeling. The person tries not to move, as the pain becomes stronger. Sounds and bright lights are irritating, increasing the pain. It is notis localized somewhere on the same site, and feel it on the surface of the head. In this case analgesics will not bring any pain relief.

Vomiting and dizziness appear the next day. At the peak of headaches always present vomiting, not bringing relief. It is completely independent from meals and breaks in gushing form. Also increased sensitivity to light and sounds. The reason for this becomes irritation of brain nodes. Irritated back the roots and buds of the meninges. Therefore, the sensitivity is so greatly increased, providing such signs. In cases of a simple touch can cause pain.

On the second day, usually a red rash. Gradually it increases in size the skin and flows in hemorrhagic. It becomes like bright bruises are small in size. Beginning of rashes on the feet, rising higher and higher.

Features of diseases of children

The child carries the same symptoms. But it has features. So breast babies are often restless, they are constantly excited, screaming. When you try to take them in his arms start to bend and cry harder. In addition to vomiting may occur diarrhea and frequent vomiting.

Children may be drowsy, weak, to refuse food. They try to crawl off in a corner of the bed and hide under the blanket. They have shown the first sign of meningitis expressed in the form of seizures. These convulsive twitches are unfavorable symptoms.

Among the complications of meningitis can occur the accumulation of fluid in the brain and as a consequence of its swelling. Also occurs toxic shock or adrenal insufficiency. And wedged medulla oblongata in the occipital hole is fatal.

Typical symptoms of meningitis

For recognition of the disease there are some signs. Thanks to them, will accurately determine the meningitis. Among them is the stiff neck. Therefore, the person will be very difficult to bend the head. This early manifestation persists throughout the disease.

A symptom of Kerning can also help you identify meningitis. In this case the patient can not straighten the lower limbs, knees bent. When the symptom Brudzinskogo noticeable that in the horizontal position when lifting the man's head, involuntarily bent legs. On Lesage in infants, the Fontanelle becomes tense, it swells and pulsates constantly. Patients can observe the certain position of the body. They lie on his side, bent legs closer to the body and head tilt. It helps to relieve tension in the meninges and reduce pain.

Diagnosis

Besides the obvious symptoms need to undergo some tests. They will help make the diagnosis. To do the spinal puncture. It is done in the lumbar spine in the form of a puncture with the withdrawal of part of the spinal fluid. In the future, it will be reviewed for the presence of microorganisms.

It is also possible to highlight cultures of pathogens from stool, or nasopharynx. While doing vysielanie. Necessary blood General and biochemical. And to identify the specificity of the pathogen is needed for serological analysis.

For accuracy of diagnosis is carried out a CT or MRI of the brain. It is necessary to assess the status and detect abnormalities. This method is quite accurate and effective in diagnosing meningitis.

Treat disease

Any kind of meningitis requires urgent hospitalization. Indeed, in some cases time is not on days and on hours. Bacterial meningitis is treated comprehensively. For that using antibiotics in large doses. Also used to reduce inflammation corticosteroids. To get rid of cramps using tranquilizers.

In viral meningitis, the antibiotics will not help the treatment. Therefore, use symptomatic treatment. To maintain the body can use immunoglobulins. When infected with adenovirus or enterovirus use derivatives drugs Arbidol. If the disease has arisen under the influence of herpes, it is necessary for the treatment to take acyclovir.

To relieve headaches use strong analgesics and helps reduce vomiting antiemetic

Dehydration it is necessary to replenish the body's fluid. Do it with the help of a drink or injection of a solution. In some cases there are symptoms of gastroenteritis. Therefore, doctors prescribe a special diet and the intake of enzyme preparations. To reduce the temperature required nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory.

Prevention

To protect themselves from the disease can only help care and hygiene. Also you do vaccination. But to defend against all types of meningitis so it will not work, because it cause different bacteria and viruses. But you can choose the most dangerous of them and to carry out vaccination.

In everyday life do not forget that the disease is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. It is therefore necessary to carefully monitor the hygiene of the hands, to wash food before eating and make sure they boil or fry.

Also you should avoid meetings with patients with respiratory diseases. During periods of increased illness not to visit crowded places and ill ORVI or flu to go to the doctor.Self-treatment, especially young children, is quite dangerous for their health.