Meningitis: How to spot the symptoms
Meningitis is often described as the disease most feared by parents, as it can strike otherwise healthy children and kill them within just four hours.
Around 3,400 people contract bacterial meningitis and septicaemia in the UK each year. 1,870 of these cases will be Meningitis B, one of the most common forms of the deadly disease.
One in ten victims of Meningitis B will die, and one in four survivors will be left with severe after-effects, including loss of limbs, scarring, loss of hearing and brain damage.
Babies, toddlers, children and young people aged between 14 and 24 are most vulnerable.
Meningitis and septicaemia can occur at the same time, and share a number of symptoms. Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain lining, whilst Septicaemia is an infection of the blood. Both are deadly.
Knowing the symptoms and acting fast can save lives.
Classic symptoms of Meningitis
A headache
A stiff neck
Aversion to bright light
Other symptoms can include:
Difficulty standing up / supporting weight
Fever
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Confusion and drowsiness
Symptoms of Septicaemia
Aching limbs, particularly leg pain
Cold hands and feet
A rash which starts like pin prick spots and develops rapidly into purple bruising
Other symptoms may include:
Difficulty standing up/ supporting weight
Fever
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Confusion and drowsiness
Difficulty breathing
Change in skin colour
The tumbler test
People with septicaemia may develop a rash of tiny red 'pin prick' marks which can develop into purple bruising. You can test the rash with a glass tumbler to see if it fades:
Press the side of a clear glass firmly against the rash
If the rash does not fade, seek medical attention immediately
On darker skin the rash can be difficult to see. Check for the rash on paler areas such as the palms of the hands.
The rash is often a late symptom, and may not appear at all
Babies and toddlers
Babies and toddlers may display other symptoms, in addition to those mentioned above, including:
Blotchy skin
Turning pale, or turning blue
Tense of bulging soft spot on the baby's head
Poor feeding
High pitched cry / irritability