Other meningitis symptoms
Other symptoms that may occur in babies
- Excessive crying - often high pitched or moaning and different to their usual cry.
- Fast breathing, or unusual patterns of breathing.
- Fever - but the baby may not look hot and the skin may look pale or blotchy, or turn blue. The hands and feet may feel cold. The baby may shiver.
- Will not take feeds - sometimes repeated vomiting.
- Being irritable - especially when picked up and handled.
- Drowsiness or sleepiness - does not wake easily.
- A bulging fontanelle sometimes develops. The is the 'soft spot' on the baby's head.
- Jerky movements may occur and the body may appear stiff. Sometimes the opposite occurs and the body appears quite floppy. Convulsions (fits or seizures) sometimes develop.
Other symptoms that may occur in older children and adults
- Fever and shivering - however, the hands and feet often feel cold.
- Stiff neck - cannot bend the neck forward.
- Headache - which can become severe.
- Fast breathing.
- Aches and pains in muscles or joints - the pains can become quite severe.
- The skin may look pale or blotchy, or turn blue.
- Dislike of bright lights - will shut eyes and turn away from the light.
- Drowsiness or confusion - may appear 'vacant'.
- Repeated vomiting. Sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
The course of symptoms
The symptoms often develop quickly, over a few hours or so. The symptoms can occur in any order, and not all may occur. Sometimes symptoms develop more slowly, over a few days. The symptoms may suggest a less serious illness at first. For example, fever, headaches, and vomiting are common with many viral illnesses such as flu. Therefore, even if you think it was flu to start with, if symptoms become worse then it may be meningitis or septicaemia.
Further sources of help or advice
NHS direct - Tel (24hr) 0845 4647. Will advise if you are concerned about symptoms.
Meningitis Trust - Tel (24hr) 0800 028 18 28 Web: www.meningitis-trust.org
Meningitis Research Foundation - Tel (24hr) 080 8800 3344 Web: www.meningitis.org
© EMIS and PIP 2006 Updated: January 2006 PRODIGY Validated
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Trudi parnell, about 1 year [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
Last year my 11 year old son nearly died from meningitis i thorght i knew everything there was to know about meningitis as i have had it twice before but only the virol one so when my son became ill i thorght it was the flu bug that was going around sickness high fever sleeping all the time the usual but only 1 thing that was different his hands and feet was very cold and with a temp of over 116 i thorght what was going on then i called the dr he said come to the local hospital at once so i did but i had to put a blanket over his head due to the light hurting him when i got there i was seen b4 every 1 they said that to be sure he gave him a high dose of antibotix and transford him to the main hospital he seamed to pick up but 30 mins later his heart stopped and only then did the rash come out but not all over his body like you think it would it turned out that he had the most dangerous one going how gutted i was my son was dieing and all because i didnt know that cold hands and feet was comming in the most dangerous cases but thank got he pulled through spending all that time in ccu the only thing that he was left with was the deafness that he suffered so i would like to say thanks for putting that part on you page about cold hands and feet ps he cant remember anything that happened that i am thankfull of because i would never like any 1 to go through seeing a child suffer