Is meningococcal meningitis still affecting my sons immune system?

[kat12]

My son was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis a week after his first birthday he spent a week in hospital (March 2013) and thankfully he made a speedy recovery! Since then we have had follow up appointments and hearing test's amazingly he was discharged from all after care last month (October 2013) I was just questioning when his immune system will be back to normal?? Since the meningitis he seems to catch a little of everything (hand, foot and mouth...chest infection...general colds/high temp) I understand its not been a year yet but with the winter coming I want to prepare myself and him!! Thanks for reading.

[MNClaireD Partner Meningitis Now]

With reference to the above post, has anyone else found that they are more prone to everyday infections since suffering from meningitis?

If so, has this been a short-term problem, or something on-going?

[theharrisons2288 in reply to MNClaireD]

My little girl had meningococcal meningitis in June last year when she was 7 months old. She too thankfully made a complete recovery. I haven't noticed that she has picked up any extra bugs. She gets colds quite often but nothing more than that. She doesn't go to nursery though whereas my friends children who attends nursery/childminders seem to always have something.

[kat12 in reply to theharrisons2288]

Thank you for your reply! Im so pleased your daughter made a full recovery too. My son does go to nursery once a week but to be honest I hadn't taken that into consideration!! Very vaild point. I do worry tho as after his first hearing test after the meningitis it showed glue ear...this isn't necessarily due to the meningitis/antibiotics but if he keeps getting colds it could reappear. Thank you again for sharing your experience.

[paul1224 in reply to MNClaireD]

goodmorning

10 years ago on the 25/11/2003 i had bacterial meningococcal meningitis and i was told my human system was low and they thought it always would be

and they where so right

i seem to get every thing going

from the flu even with the flu injection to water infections

there is always some thing

i have got ulcers on my feet which they say because of my immune system are hard to treat

but i am still here

my doctor always reminds me i am still here having died twice

i am sure one day something will get me but till then i will fight every thing

one question

does any one have problems with there hospital being so slow over appointments

last jan i went for a hearing test for a new deaf aid

they first denied i had even been for the test so i had to get refereed again by my doctor waited months for a appointment finaly gwhen u see some one from the nhs there great its just gettin to ee them i find a joke

had the test re done now waiting for my aid from start to finish it has taken 11 months just hope in 2014 it all happens

i had to have 3 referrals to the physio before i got to see them

happy xmass to all and thanks to the trust for all there good work

oh and have a happy and safe and health new year

[kat12 in reply to paul1224]

Thank you too for your response...sometimes I do think well if his immune system is a little low so be it. My son is alive and the recovery could've taken much longer with possible complications!! I'm sorry to hear your still having on going illness and appointments. My son has only been referred within the hospital as we took him straight to hospital after seeing the rash...the build up to the meningitis I have to say my doctors weren't very good fobbing us off. All I can say is make sure your persistent.

Thanks again!

[paul1224 in reply to kat12]

thank you for all your good wishes and you what country are you in i am uk

i got to hospital before the rash the doctor did not know if i had a chest infection or a stroke or a heart attack

it took 6 hours before the rash came out and i was being pumped fill of antibiotics they say that saved my life

again all the best please keep in touch

thank you

[kat12 in reply to paul1224]

Goodness its a job you had the antibiotics! We are also from the UK, Norfolk. The hospital told us we too were very lucky to have noticed our sons rash as it can develop so quickly! Very lucky

[paul1224 in reply to kat12]

hi

may i ask how your son is doing know

how old was he when he caught it

and his age know

has any one ever said were or how he may have got iti worked in a college with teenagers and the doctors think one must have been a carrier anr they breathed out as i breathed in

my wife worked in the same office at the next desk as me and luckily she never got any thing

i do hope your son is doing well know

and i hope u all have a great Christmas

ps

i live just out side the city of lichfield in south Staffordshire

[Munchkinsmum]

Hi Kat, our son was diagnosed with Pneumococcal Meningitis in June 2013, Thankfully he's made a good recovery. We're still waiting to get conclusive results from hearing tests (he might have slight hearing lost but he'll need to be tested again soon). I noticed that in the first few months after he was discharged from hospital (still under a Consultant for after care though) that he seemed to catch quite a few coughs, colds etc He also had a few temperatures, with no other symptoms, which we put down to teething (although, not before panicking that it was something more serious!). He goes to nursery for 2 days a week and was prone to catching bugs prior to the meningitis. My husband & i actually commented a couple of days ago that we're amazed he's not had a cold etc for a couple of months (watch that change now....). It seems that initially after the meningitis he was more susceptible but it seems to have settled down a little now. My son's consultant recommended that we give him a multi vitamin to help give him a boost. Really pleased to hear that your son has made a full recovery. How are you coping after it all?

[kat12 in reply to Munchkinsmum]

Thanks for sharing your story, I am so pleased that your son is also a fighter and recovered quickly. I hope that he passes his next hearing test...can you tell that he can't always hear you? It was a horrible time...we hadn't long moved into our new house, his first birthday party was cancelled due to him being really poorly (the doctors kept saying it was a viral infection then 10days later the purple rash appeared) mothers day he was admitted to hospital! I often look back and think wow we are so lucky that we noticed the rash and that he reacted quickly to the antibiotics and that he's here. I have to admit I do often panic when his temperature goes up as it is usually the start of a cold etc. Before the meningitis he had never really been poorly so I guess thats why I wonder if it's all linked to his immune system (now that its winter that doesn't help) I have never thought about giving him multi vitamins...il look into that. Thank you again for your sharing your experience, how did you cope when your son was poorly?

[Munchkinsmum]

Hi Kat, I'm so sorry for not replying sooner. What an awful time for you, moving house is stressful enough but to have to cope with something so awful as Meningitis......I think when Edward was poorly i just went on to auto pilot, looking back there are chunks of time that i can't recall & yet other sections will be etched in my mind forever! I guess i'm quite lucky in that our son is our only child (hopefully that will change next year :)) so i was able to concentrate 100% on him. Also, my husband was made redundant a couple of weeks before the Meningitis struck so he was able to help out a lot. For the first few days, Edward was in High Dependency so i was sleeping on a chair (not the most comfortable nights sleep i've ever had!) but hubby would come in each morning & i could go home for a few hours to sleep. It was a bit more bearable once he was moved to a normal ward as i had a bed by his cot - although i never realised just how noisy hospitals are!! I honestly feel like i still haven't caught up with myself from when he was ill. Since Edward came home his sleeping has been pretty poor so i am constantly exhausted but putting everything aside, our son is still here and for that i an truly grateful everyday. Hope you're doing ok.

[kat12 in reply to Munchkinsmum]

No need to apologise...life is very busy! When I was reading your reply it felt strange because it feels so similar to everything we went through. I too felt like auto pilot kicked in during the hospital stay and thankfully our son is an only child as well so we could focus on him (we too are hoping to expand next year :)) we found sleeping a biggg issue...because our little man had been poorly before the hospital stay, he was in and out off our bed, unsettled with temperatures etc then with the change in routine at hospital he didn't have a proper routine when we got home. I think it took us at least 6months before we had our routine back we used to feel guilty hearing him cry because of what he had been through then it became ridiculous so we had to do super nanny. I really do hope your bedtimes/night times settle soon!! When do you hear about his next hearing test?

[Munchkinsmum in reply to kat12]

Hi Kat, he had his first hearing test in October and has gone back on the waiting list for a follow up appointment. They said it would be about 4 months so i expect it will be Feb some time. He's actually slept through the night a couple of times over the last week so we're keeping our fingers crossed that this becomes a more permanent arrangement Thanks for your replies, it's actually really helped hearing from someone's who's been through this as I've've been struggling a bit with coming to terms with it all. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas x

[Noahs_Mummy]

Hi, I believe it does affect their immune system and have seen this in my son (11 days old bacterial meningitis, fully recovered, now 9 months old). Less than 2 months after his meningitis he had bronchiolitis so badly he spent a week in hospital on oxygen. His bronchiolitis reoccured 1 month after that. He continued to get a 'heavy' cold ie breathing difficulties but not bad enough for hospitalisation continuiously until 7 months. He was diagnosed with mild asthma at 6 months old (not normally confirmed until 2 but his wheezing during these cold 'cycles' and when he is excited is too evident to be ignored according to his paed). He subsequently also developed bacterial tonsilitis at 8 months old. I have been told by his paed and GPs that it 'definitely' doesnt affect their immunity though every HVisitor I've been in touch with says 'of course it will'. And I don't see how it can not when they are given a 'barrage of antibiotics' (their words) which must affect any natural immunity they have. I very much hope my son will grow out of this susceptibility - and yours too kat12 but it is very interesting to hear this in other peoples children as well. I can only offer the answer really that I am quite vigilent to his illnesses as I know he will get them 'worse' than a typical baby. I know you put your post up here ages ago Kat12 but if you do check this again I'd be interested to know how he went this winter... Thanks