If the baby needs extra oxygen, he is placed in a plastic hood into which extra oxygen is blown. Some babies are relatively well and the only treatment they need is antibiotics. Meningitis Meningitis is a serious infection of the fluid surrounding the brain. Any baby who is very sick from infection or has bacteria in her blood could get meningitis. Meningitis is diagnosed by doing a test called a spinal tap.
Spinal taps are safe procedures for babies.
The baby is curled on her side for the test. To make sure that she is breathing OK during the test, the baby is attached to a monitor and a nurse holds and watches the baby during the spinal tap. A hollow needle is put into the space in the baby's back below the spinal cord and a small amount of spinal fluid is taken. The fluid is then tested for infection. Most babies do not like to be held in this position and will cry during the test, but a spinal tap is no more painful than blood drawing.