The symptoms of Meningitis, as 93% of parents say they couldn't spot signs in their child
Parents are being urged to know the signs of deadly meningitis after new research found 93% couldn't identify all three of the most common symptoms.
A multi-country survey, of 4,000 parents, commissioned by global biopharma company, GSK, found that mums and dads are less clued up on meningitis than they are with other common conditions such as Covid, flu, measles, pneumonia and whooping cough.
As well as the nine in 10 parents who couldn’t identify all three of the most common symptoms of meningitis: fever, headache, and stiff neck, a tenth do not know a single sign of the potentially life-threatening condition.
While 88% considered meningitis to be a serious childhood illness, only 38% feel their child is at risk of catching the disease.
Read more: Mum’s best friend ‘saved baby’s life’ by donating part of her liver (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Brian Davies, head of health insights and policy at Meningitis Research Foundation, hopes the results of the survey might encourage more awareness about the signs.
"Meningitis may be fatal within 24 hours, so it is critical that everyone is aware of the disease and knows the signs and symptoms to watch for and can act fast," he said.
"The survey builds on our existing research to show that not enough parents know the signs and symptoms of meningitis, and that more must continue to be done to support people, so they know when to get medical help and more lives can be saved.
"We are working with healthcare professionals and other partners in many countries to change that, whilst also encouraging parents to always trust their instincts and get medical help as soon as possible, if they suspect meningitis."
The news comes as Abbey Clancy detailed her daughter's experiences of contracting viral meningitis that saw her rushed to hospital earlier this year.
Speaking on The Therapy Crouch podcast, which she hosts with her husband Peter Crouch, she said: "The school holidays have been tough.
"We got to Portugal and Sophia was in hospital with meningitis which was just the scariest thing on earth – being in a foreign hospital, language barriers, the words like meningitis being thrown around, lumber punctures, brain scans.
"It was horrific – I felt so vulnerable – and scary. But I must say the medical care over there was just out of this world."
What is meningitis?
According to the NHS, meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
While it can affect anyone, the infection is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.
If not treated quickly, meningitis can be very serious and can cause life-threatening blood poisoning called septicaemia, which can result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves.
Clancy's daughter experienced viral meningitis, which is where the infection is caused by a virus.
Read more: Woman’s ‘Covid’ symptoms turned out to be meningitis – signs of the illness (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
However, it is also possible to contract bacterial meningitis, where the infection is caused by bacteria, which can also be life-threatening.
The NHS states: "Meningitis is usually caught from people who carry these viruses or bacteria in their nose or throat but are not ill themselves. It can also be caught from someone with meningitis, but this is less common."
Infection can be spread through sneezing, coughing and kissing.
In February, it was revealed by the charity Meningitis Now, who analysed UK Health Security Agency data, that meningitis cases had almost doubled in a year in England.
Meningitis symptoms
The main things to look out for are:
high temperature (fever)
being sick
headache
rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop)
stiff neck
aversion to bright lights
drowsiness or unresponsiveness
seizures (fits)
The NHS points out that sufferers may not always get all the symptoms and they can appear in any order.
Watch: Mother of teenager who died from meningitis urges students to get vaccinated
Treatment for meningitis
Bacterial meningitis usually needs to be treated in hospital for at least a week, with treatments including:
antibiotics given directly into a vein
fluids given directly into a vein
oxygen through a face mask
Viral meningitis tends to get better on its own within seven to 10 days and can often be treated at home.
Resting taking painkillers and anti-sickness medication can help relieve the symptoms during recovery.
Read more: Woman raising awareness of sepsis after what she presumed was a cold led to the condition (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Meningitis vaccine
The NHS says there are a number of vaccinations that can offer a certain amount of protection against particular meningitis causes, including:
MenB vaccine – offered to babies aged eight weeks, followed by a second dose at 16 weeks and a booster at one year
6-in-1 vaccine – offered to babies at eight, 12 and 16 weeks of age
Pneumococcal vaccine – two doses offered to babies at 12 weeks and one year, and a single dose offered to adults aged 65 or over
Hib/MenC vaccine – offered to babies at one year of age
MMR vaccine – offered to babies at one year and a second dose at three years and four months.
MenACWY vaccine – offered to teenagers, sixth formers and 'fresher' students going to university for the first time.
