He is now home but is still experiencing pain and irritation for which we are giving him pain medication. Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges which is one of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It may be caused by viruses, bacteria, and other less common organisms.
Bacterial meningitis tends to be the most severe.
While many children recover from bacterial meningitis without problems, some, unfortunately, will die, and about one-third will suffer neurologic deficits. These abnormalities may range from the barely detectable to the quite profound and include hearing loss, language disorders, developmental delay, motor abnormalities, and seizures. Of those that have deficits when they are discharged from the hospital, two-thirds will have recovered within five years. This, of course, is influenced by the severity of the initial abnormality. The HiB vaccine protects against what used to be the most common cause of bacterial meningitis.