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be aware of early symptoms
Thompson MJ, Ninis N, Perera R, Mayon-White R, Phillips C, Bailey L,
Harnden A, Mant D, Levin M
[The Lancet 2006; 367:397-403 (February 4 2006, online Januar 18)]
Classic symptoms of meningitis are high fever, neck
stiffness, photophobia, severe headache,
drowsiness/irritability/confusion, bulging fontanelle, nausea/vomiting,
and petechial rash.
Most children with meningitis in this article only had
vague symptoms the first 4-6 hours, but were close to death within 24
hours. Only half of them were admitted to hospital at the first
consultation.
Something to learn from?
The authors recommend general practitioners and parents to
pay more attention to early septic symptoms, rather than only the
classical symptoms of meningitis.
The sequence of symptom debut, summarized:
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Early symptoms (7-12 hours)
· Leg pain
· thirst
· diarrhoea
· abnormal skin colour
· breathing difficulty
· cold hands and feet
|
|
Classic symptoms (13-15 hours)
· haemorrhagic rash (petechia)
· neck pain or stiffness
· photophobia
· bulging fontanelle
|
|
Late symptoms (16-22 hours)
· confusion or delirium
· seizure
· unconsciousness
|
Read the article:
Clinical
recognition of meningococcal disease in children and adolescents
Click here to read this
presentation in Norwegian
Presented by: Arne Westgaard,
26.01.2006, updated
08.03.2006
www.legevakten.no |