Early diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis is essential to prevent permanent neurological or spinal damage. Viral Meningitis is usually not serious, and symptoms should disappear within 2-weeks with no residual complications.
Complications of Spinal Meningitis
- Hearing loss or deafness
- Brain damage
- Loss of vision
- Hydrocephalus
Calling your health care provider. If you feel that you or your child have symptoms suggestive of meningitis, you must seek emergency medical help immediately. Early treatment is key to a good outcome.
Prevention of Spinal Meningitis
Haemophilus vaccine (HiB vaccine) in children will help prevent one type of meningitis.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is now a routine childhood immunization and is very effective at preventing Pneumococcal Meningitis.
It's highly recommended household contacts and people with close contact with individuals with meningococcal meningitis receive preventative antibiotics to avoid becoming infected themselves.
Some communities conduct vaccination campaigns following an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis. Military recruits are routinely vaccinated against this form of meningitis because of its high rate of occurrence.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College Health Assn encourage college students (particularly freshmen living in dorms) to consider being vaccinated with the meningococcal vaccine.
The above information thankfully comes from the spinalmeningitis.org at the following link.
