Aftermath of meningitis in children

[4Sky]

Hello, I am new to this post and am beyond concerned for my 6 year old son. He had bacterial meningitis when he was 3 months old. (Though they couldn't confirm a positive test result as they had already started the meds before they got the culture back, if that makes sense. ) Anyway, he showed all the symptoms of having bacterial meningitis.

Suprisingly, I wasn't informed on what to expect once he got older, as far as symptoms, life long struggle's either physically, emotionally or mentally. He is just so down and will say, "Mommy, I'm just so sad and I don't know why." It breaks my heart 😢 I'm not sure if this is relatedto him habing the meningitis or is something else going on? What are the symptoms/aftermath of having bacterial meningitis as an infant? How does it affect a child as they grow? Thank you so much.

[misswinky34]

Hi

That must have been such a difficult thing to hear! 😥

My son was 2 weeks old when he got BM so I know what a dreadful time it was.

I'm not a neurology expert but i got told apart from physical disabilities the next likely thing to look out for was learning development, which I guess can come in different forms, he's the second age as my middle sized boy, is he in year 1/2? Is he settled in school? They sad any mental issues can manifest in early years.

Its such unknown territory isnt it, we just don't know 😥 my son has just turned one, and he's still having follow up. He's got an other set of tests on the 13th, I'm going to be going armed with questions, as I worry too over the emotional impact its had on him and what to expect.

I'm sorry your sons feeling that way, how sad 💔 I would be having a little talk with his teacher or school support team and maybe your health visitor. In the school I work in we have a couple of children of a similar age with childhood depression, sometimes without a trigger.

Hope you can get some support hun

💜💜❤️💜❤️

[quaile]

Hi, must be really hard to hear that from your little man ☹️. Is it something he says a lot? I have a 5 year old that has not had BM and he sometimes would say things like this but will be fine 10 minutes later so I’ve not been so worried.

My youngest had BM & septicaemia at 1 day old. He is 18 months now and all the little things that may not have worried me with child number 1 I am over analysing & worrying when it could just be normal behaviour for his age. It’s hard to know what is normal & what is not. May be worth speaking to the doc about it on your next visit x

Miss winky, sorry to be nosey but what tests are they doing? My son was discharged before he was one and I’m worried that they have not checked everything. He’s being referred now as he’s getting infections/virus’ every other week pretty much since may last year. May be further tests I can suggest? Not sure if the BM has compromised his immune system x

[Billochick]

Hi there, hopefully your son grows out of the after affects. My daughter had bacterial meningitis when she was 5. She has struggled all her life. We noticed the change in her personality afterwards. She went from a happy little girl to yelling at her friends to go home, then crying when they did calling them back because she'd have no one to play with. All her life we put her behaviour down to situations she was in at the time. Constant migraines, it was like talking to a wall, vague, anxiety, etc, etc, Things got really bad for her last year & finally got her to the doctors. I did so much research & was shocked to find out how bad it was. You couldn't look things up back then & the doctors at the time didn't tell you much at all. Certainly nothing about after affects. Anyway she is on tablets now for her anxiety & she is a different girl. The doctor confirmed all her problems & behaviour stemmed back to her meningitis. She is so happy now that she knows what caused her temper outbursts over nothing, vagueness, so many things. She told me at school the teacher could tell her something a dozen times & it still wouldn't sink in. She's 42 this year. Take notice of your sons behaviour & get him help if you notice these symptoms as my daughter said her life has been hell & she couldn't work out why she was doing & saying the things she did. xxxx

[MrsP2013]

Hi I know this post is a couple of years old now but I was wondering how your son has got on? my son now almost 7 had bacterial meningitis at 3 weeks old. He struggles so much emotionally, mentally and physically that i often cry because nothing i do seems to help him and we are being fired around the medical system constantly being told he doesn't meet their criteria! It's infuriating!! Anyway it'd be good to know how you and your son have got on since you posted this.