Why meningitis happens

A very dangerous infection that covers the brain and spinal cord is known as meningitis. This is a very common infection in younger people such as infants, children, and teens. However individuals with a lot of health problems may also be at risk for meningitis. There are 2 types of meningitis you can get, viral meningitis which comes from a virus or bacterial meningitis that is caused from bacteria. Meningitis is a contagious infection as something like a cough or sneeze can cause the germs to spread to another person.

Since it is such a contagious disease it is important to practice proper health and sanitary habits. In your home you need to clean surfaces that are touched often like the doorknobs and the restroom. Try to clean all the surfaces when there is a high risk in your home if another person has it. When you go out in public keep some sanitary wipes with you so you can clean your shopping cart handle or to at least wipe your hands after you go shopping or to a public venue. In addition to this you should try and go out when the crowds are smaller. Trying to shop when hundreds of other people are doing their shopping can increase your risk of infection.

The common symptoms of meningitis include the following:

• Headache


• Fever


• Vomiting


• Stiff and painful neck


• Seizures

To detect it in infants you need to watch their eating patterns. If the child refuses to eat, it's an indication of a cold or meningitis. A rash or constant crying also indicates a serious problem. It's hard for some parents to detect meningitis because the symptoms often mimic the flu. Adults tend to notice it because of neck aches, fevers, and headaches.

If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms or acting strange you need to take them in immediately. A child that has bacterial meningitis can be very deadly if you do not seek medical attention for immediate treatment.

Once the doctor does some testing to understand if your child has meningitis the treatments will begin. Treatment options will include antibiotics and possible hospitalization. Children that experience seizures need to remain in the hospital in order to get better. If you are diagnosed with viral meningitis then you will experience the symptoms for about 2 weeks and you must remain on treatments. This will include rest, plenty of fluids, and medications to reduce your fever.

It is vital to take your child in for their preventative examinations. A preventative examination will allow the doctor to provide them with all the vaccinations which help to keep such illnesses away. Children need immunizations against such disease like measles, polio, chickenpox, and a meningococcal vaccine. However anyone that is planning to travel needs to visit their doctor to be sure they are all caught up on their vaccinations and to also check on vaccinations they need to get if they are leaving the country. It is highly recommended for college freshmen to get the meningococcal vaccine if they will have roommates and be living in dormitories. Just breathing the air of another person with meningitis will cause you to get exposed and can come down with meningitis.

Proper hygiene habits are one of the best ways to reduce your risk of meningitis. This means you do not want to share eating utensils and you do not want to share things like your towel or toothbrush. Wash your hands often, especially when you are living in dormitories or in public buildings. If a roommate or another is diagnosed with meningitis you need to try and stay away from them until they begin antibiotics. Even with antibiotics they will continue to be contagious for about 24 hours.