Meningitis: early signs that require immediate medical attention
In recent weeks, more than 300 people died of meningitis in Nigeria, majority of them children and adolescents from 5 to 15 years old.
This outbreak is the third time the disease would become an epidemic in the country. Now it is known that meningitis has spread in 15 states of the country already and no less than 3 million people need to be vaccinated
The epidemic outbreaks in Nigeria had been caused by a chain of reasons: rather cool nights; dry and windy weather; peculiar religious customs; overpopulation; poor sanitary situation
Early symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia (the blood poisoning form of the disease) can be like other childhood illnesses, but a baby will usually get ill quickly and get worse fast.
Below are some of the early signs of meningitis in Nigerian babies:
- Tense or bulging soft spot
- High temperature. (Warning – could be normal or low in babies under 3 months)
- Very sleepy / staing / expression / too sleepy to wake up
- Breathing fast / difficulty breathing
- Extreme shivering
- ‘Pin prick’ rash / marks or purple bruises anywhere on the body
- Sometimes diarrhoea
- Unusual grunting sounds
- Vomiting / refusing to feed
- Irritable when picking up, with a high pitched or moaning cry
- Blotchy skin, getting paler or turning blue
- A stiff body with jerky movements or else floppy and lifeless
- Pain / irritability from muscle aches or severe limb / joint pain
- Cold hands and feet
