Meningitis in children (Update: diagnosed with virus) Update #1

[Mandamom]

Have your children ever had it or do you know of anyone? 

 

I'm curious as to your experience. I took my daughter to the local urgent care clinic and he wants her in the ER because she has some of the symptoms of meningitis. She's on Tylenol, fever is down and headache is better and she still feels bad. She doesn't look like what I think a meningitis patient would look like. Of course, I really want to be home in bed so that is coloring my thoughts. 

 

Thanks,

 

Well, I didn't do what people said. I did go home before seeing the doc. I.just.could.not.stay.

 

Given her symptoms and her overall behavior, we went home. The next day her fever fluctuated throughout the day and my husband took her to different clinic (Monday A.M.) . Strep was negative but when they did the eye exam she almost passed out so, they wanted to back in ER. So, my husband spent the afternoon there (he works nights) and in the end both docs said that she has a virus. She doesn't have enough of the meningitis symptoms and they saw no signs of the bacterial meningitis infection. He saw no reason to do the spinal tap. We are to follow up with her pediatrician in a day or so.

 

I do feel that this is the right diagnosis but we'll go back if something changes. 

 

Thanks everyone for the help. 

Edited December 5, 2016 by Mandamom

[maize]

The cases I am aware of were fatal--as in, child went to bed feeling mildly sick and parent found them dead in the morning.

 

Take her to the ER.

[Spryte]

My son had it over the summer.

 

Please go to the ER.

[Mandamom]

The cases I am aware of were fatal--as in, child went to bed feeling mildly sick and parent found them dead in the morning.

 

Take her to the ER.

I'm here. Just tired of waiting. If she looked and acted really sick I wouldn't have any hesitation in staying. I wish there was an easier way to tell. 

[maize]

I'm here. Just tired of waiting. If she looked and acted really sick I wouldn't have any hesitation in staying. I wish there was an easier way to tell.

Yeah, I hate ER trips. Especially late night ones.

 

Meningitis is tricky that way though--kids can go from seemingly mildly sick to life threateningly ill in a very short time; the urgent care doc was right to be cautious.

 

Hopefully for your dd this is just a necessary precaution and it doesn't turn out to be meningitis.

[Mandamom]

Yeah, I hate ER trips. Especially late night ones.

 

Meningitis is tricky that way though--kids can go from seemingly mildly sick to life threateningly ill in a very short time; the urgent care doc was right to be cautious.

 

Hopefully for your dd this is just a necessary precaution and it doesn't turn out to be meningitis.

 

Thanks so do It. My instincts say that there is nothing that seriously wrong but I know I can't trust that. 

 

She is definitely looking better and she says now that the pain is gone and I know the fever is gone.  

 

 

In case you didn't know, I really don't want to be here. :) 

[thessa516]

Go to the ER. I had meningitis as a young adult. I went from going to the gym after work to being admitted to the hospital (and spending a week there) in a matter of hours. I hope your daughter turns out to be fine.

[El...]

My little brother died of it right before Thanksgiving 11 years ago.  He was about to turn 6 years old.  He seemed like he had a virus over the weekend, saw his family Dr that morning, and was gone in the afternoon. 

 

I'm going to buy Angel Tree presents tomorrow in his honor.  I'm crying again now.  Don't leave.  Get her checked. 

[Jyhwkmama]

Does she have pain when she touches her chin to her chest? That is a telltale sign.

 

Even if she doesn't, I would still stay and have the spinal tap.

[Spryte]

My little brother died of it right before Thanksgiving 11 years ago. He was about to turn 6 years old. He seemed like he had a virus over the weekend, saw his family Dr that morning, and was gone in the afternoon.

 

I'm going to buy Angel Tree presents tomorrow in his honor. I'm crying again now. Don't leave. Get her checked.

Oh my goodness, I'm so deeply sorry. My heart aches for you.

[maize]

My little brother died of it right before Thanksgiving 11 years ago. He was about to turn 6 years old. He seemed like he had a virus over the weekend, saw his family Dr that morning, and was gone in the afternoon.

 

I'm going to buy Angel Tree presents tomorrow in his honor. I'm crying again now. Don't leave. Get her checked.

I am so sorry.

[Guest]

I hate those borderline cases where something serious may be wrong or it may be nothing - that not knowing drives me crazy. Still, better to have them rule out meningitis or be able to treat immediately than lose your child. I hope her prognosis is nothing serious :grouphug:

[Ausmumof3]

Waiting is so frustrating but I think you need to stay. Hope you are right and it's nothing major.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

The child I know who had it survived, but it was a very close call.

 

Definitely stay and be certain.

[zyxwvut]

My kids have had things that *I* thought were symptoms of meningitis, and never been told to go to the ER.  If he said go, I would trust him.

 

But, since we are all telling you to stay, I will offer a bit of comfort.  I am just getting over a virus of some sort that gave me a splitting headache for about 3 days.  I'm still congested and coughing, and when I cough, my head still throbs.  I hear this sort of thing is going around.  Likely, she is okay.  But do stay.

[displace]

I hope she doesn't have it. It is so serious that even if there is a chance she has it, it's better to be safe than sorry.

[Pawz4me]

When youngest DS was in kindergarten he was suspected of having meningitis. The pediatric ER was preparing to do the spinal tap when the CT scan results came in showing an abscess in his throat. That required a couple of nights in the hospital getting IV antibiotics and we were lucky it didn't require surgery. All that to say -- stay and get her checked out. There are other relatively serious things besides meningitis that can cause similar symptoms.

[Guest]

I've known of two cases. One, the child died suddenly and unexpectedly. Two, the child survived, but has a permanent shunt in his brain and permanent hearing loss.

[Spryte]

OP, how is she? How are you?

 

Concerned about you.

[UCF612]

Hope everything checked out ok! I only know one person who had meningitis but she was an adult. She's fine now.

[hjffkj]

I'm glad you took her and I hope she's doing well. My brother died from spinal meningitis when he was 2 because a dr didn't notice the signs when my parents took him in, not the ER. By the time they decided to go to the ER because he was doing so poorly it was too late.

 

I've had a spinal tap to rule it out. They aren't fun but can be necessary.

[maize]

Thinking of you OP, hope all is well and you and your dd are getting some needed sleep.

[El...]

I'm glad you took her and I hope she's doing well. My brother died from spinal meningitis when he was 2 because a dr didn't notice the signs when my parents took him in, not the ER. By the time they decided to go to the ER because he was doing so poorly it was too late.

 

I've had a spinal tap to rule it out. They aren't fun but can be necessary.

I'm so sorry.  Some diseases remind me how close we still are to the dark, middle ages. 

[Pam in CT]

Holding your daughter and the rest of you in the light, Mandamom.

[Innisfree]

Thinking of you this morning and hoping she's home and feeling better.

[Crimson Wife]

I hope everything is ok.

 

Meningitis is one of the most common causes of hearing loss so I've met a bunch of families whose deaf kids are meningitis survivors. Makes me glad we chose to do the Prevnar vaccine. My older kids have had the Menactra vaccine as well (protects against the other type of meningitis).

[maize]

I hope everything is ok.

 

Meningitis is one of the most common causes of hearing loss so I've met a bunch of families whose deaf kids are meningitis survivors. Makes me glad we chose to do the Prevnar vaccine. My older kids have had the Menactra vaccine as well (protects against the other type of meningitis).

 

The vaccines are great but they don't protect against all forms of meningitis. I wouldn't want parents thinking "this can't be meningitis, my kid has been vaccinated".

 

There are so many different types of both viral and bacterial meningitis.

[Crimson Wife]

The vaccines are great but they don't protect against all forms of meningitis. I wouldn't want parents thinking "this can't be meningitis, my kid has been vaccinated".

 

There are so many different types of both viral and bacterial meningitis.

 

No, of course not. The vaccines reduce but not completely eliminate the risk.

[xixstar]

I had it when I was 17 and it was viral vs bacterial. I had the worst headache of my entire life and I had many headaches proper to that. Nothing they gave me was helping with the pain at all. The spinal tap was miserable because I had to curl up and that was also very painful.

 

I was quarantined in the hospital for a few days waiting on the cultures. After they finally gave me something that eased back the pain, it wasn't so bad and just still a bad cold.

[lynn]

Im glad you went. I hope your DD is okay.

Edited December 4, 2016 by lynn

[Ausmumof3]

Hope everything is ok

[StillStanding]

Praying for you and your child.

 

My oldest daughter had bacterial meningitis when she was 18 months old. When we first took her to the doctor they said it was a virus. We took her later the same day to the ER because she was unresponsive. They did the spinal tap and was admitted to the hospital. She was in the hospital for 10 days taking powerful antibiotics. My grandfather's younger brother had died from meningitis at age of three and we were fearing the worse. After the ordeal there was no damage to her brain or hearing.

 

Because she was under 2 years of age this run with meningitis did not protected from potentially having it again. We have had all our children vaccinated. Some protection is better than none.

 

 

[StillStanding]

praying

:grouphug:

Edited December 4, 2016 by StillStanding

[El...]

I hope everything is fine today and you got a negative test result!

[emcap]

My seven year old had Lyme meningitis this summer. I realize that's different from bacterial or viral, but it's been a long scary summer and he's just now off medication. I'm glad you went to the er and I hope all turns out well

[Donna]

My oldest ds had viral meningitis. He had a 104 fever and severe headache as the only symptoms. I took him to ER for spinal tap and he ended up with horrible hip pain from the spinal tap but luckily he did not have bacterial meningitis. A year later he had the same symptoms (only headache and fever) and the doctor we got in the multi-doctor practice was going to send him for another spinal tap then decided to do a strep test on a hunch. It turned out he had strep (probably had strep the first time as well with the same symptoms) so we avoided the spinal tap.