Is meningitis life threatening in babies?
Is meningitis life threatening in babies?
Meningitis is an uncommon but serious, life-threatening infection. However, a baby will almost always fully recover when it’s diagnosed and treated early. If treatment is delayed, a baby can still recover, but they may be left with one or more long-term effects, including: blindness.
What is the number one cause of meningitis in infants?
Several strains of bacteria can cause acute bacterial meningitis, most commonly: Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). This bacterium is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in infants, young children and adults in the United States. It more commonly causes pneumonia or ear or sinus infections.
Can meningitis cause mental retardation?
A case of Meningitis can be severe and may cause brain damage, hearing loss, mental retardation, and loss of arms or legs, seizures, strokes or death.
What is the survival rate of bacterial meningitis in infants?
Bacterial meningitis during the neonatal period remains a highly devastating condition, with a morbidity rate of 20 to 60 percent. The nationwide mortality can be as high as 40 percent in treated cases that occur during the first month of life.
How does a newborn get viral meningitis?
Meningitis in newborns can happen because infants are more susceptible to infections for several reasons . Their immune system and blood-brain barrier have not fully developed, and they have not yet received immunizations. Symptoms may include fever, irritability, a pinprick rash, and a bulging soft spot on the head.
What kind of brain damage does meningitis cause?
The disease can also occur when certain bacteria invade the meninges directly. Bacterial meningitis can cause stroke, hearing loss, and permanent brain damage.
Can meningitis cause personality changes?
Babies and young children are particularly at risk of developing learning and behavioural changes as a result of meningitis. These are often short-term however long term problems, such as aggression and personality changes, are often associated with ABI.
What are the long term effects of bacterial meningitis in an infant?
Hence, bacterial meningitis is associated with learning and memory deficits, cognitive deficiencies and sensorimotor impairments including hearing and visual loss, and motor dysfunction [9]–[11]. Up to a third of all survivors suffer transient or permanent deafness or other neurological sequelae [12].
What are the complications of neonatal meningitis?
Acute complications of neonatal bacterial meningitis include cerebral edema (vasogenic and cytotoxic), ventriculitis, cerebritis, hydrocephalus, brain abscess, cerebral infarction, and subdural effusion or empyema.4 Development of these complications may lead to moderate to severe neurodisabilities.
Can meningitis as a baby cause autism?
In addition, there are anecdotal reports of children developing autism after serious infections such as meningitis or encephalitis, Zimmerman said.