By: Joy Tando
An estimated 2.82 million cases of meningitis occur globally each year, with more than 300,000 deaths, children between the age of 1 month to 5 years are most at risk. Meningitis is caused by viral infections around the spinal cord and brain which produce inflammations around the membranes in that area. Symptoms include a stiff neck, headaches, and fevers. Meningitis spreads easily airborne through sneezes and coughs, but it is preventable by vaccines.
Moreover, this disease is potentially life-threatening depending on the causes, yet it is treatable with antibiotic treatments and usually resolves within a few days to several weeks. The severity of a child’s symptoms varies depending on specific organisms targeting the body. In Texas, between grades 7-12, children are given the vaccine MCV4 which has been proven to be safe and effective. Vaccine effects kick in 1-2 weeks after injection and last up to 5 years.
There are occasions where patients recover on their own, but in most cases, medications and supportive care such as oxygen therapy and penicillin are applied to patients. Although most people recover from meningitis, infections can lead to disabilities such as hearing loss, learning disabilities, brain damage, and in the worst case, death. This disease can affect people of all ages, but the causes differ for age groups.
Historical Outbreaks
One patient is Piper T, she was only seven months old when she recently discovered she had meningitis in February. Her parents discovered something off about Piper when she started breathing strangely. After finding out it was bacterial meningitis, the doctors stated that if they “waited another twenty-four hours she probably wouldn’t have been here”. Thankfully, Piper didn’t contract any disabilities from the infections and is now a healthy baby enjoying her life.
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