Nursery World - Positive Relationships: A Parent's Guide to ... Meningitis

Advice from the Meningitis Research Foundation

Q: What is meningitis?

Meningitis is the swelling of the meninges, which are the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

It is a very dangerous disease which can kill in hours. Every day in the UK, nine people become ill with meningitis, six die every week and a further 15 recover with permanent after-effects, such as brain damage, deafness and amputations.

Meningitis can be caused by bacteria (such as streptococcus, pneumococcus, or meningococcus) which usually live harmlessly in the mouth and throat, or viruses (such as herpes simplex). Bacterial meningitis is life-threatening, whereas viral meningitis is almost never life-threatening.

The germs can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can occur along with meningitis or separately.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included