Suspected Meningitis

[themorrigan]

My 12 year old son has just gone with his dad to A&E suspected meningitis. headache and drowsy since yesterday, elevated (39.9c) temperature despite regular doses of Calpol and paracetamol. Emergency doctor did over the phone diagnostics and told us to take him straight away to urgent care at the local hospital. He has no rash or stiff neck and is not photosensitive, has not been sick but had mild diarrhea -could it (hopefully) be something else?

[gness]

Night, M...will be thinking of you and look in in the morning...hope for good news...x

[Sqad]

Well morri, it could simply be a viral infection and that is by far away the commonest cause of the symptoms that you have prescribed.
Meningitis is an outsider as a diagnosis.

if in doubt a Lumbar Puncture (simple procedure) will be performed by the hospital doctor.

keep in touch eh!

[anneasquith]

I hope all is well this morning,

[pixie373]

My youngest has been in twice with suspected meningitis and septicaemia. Full purple rash which covered his whole body within three hours. He wasn't given lumbar puncture to confirm, just blood tests and given huge doses of antibiotics. He recovered very quickly.
I really hope all well with your boy. Xx

[mazie]

Hoping everything is OK morrigan. xx

[Sqad]

pixie.......if he wasn't given a LP it was obvious to the hospital staff that the initial diagnosis of meningitis was not sustainable.

[pixie373]

That could well be right, sqad. They just said "suspected". His blood test came back positive, but not entirely sure what they tested- they said he needed antibiotics asap. I still don't know what exactly he had either time. One doctor said Streptococcus septicaemia and one said Scarlet Fever.
Any ideas?

[Sqad]

To me....streptococcal septicemia and scarlet fever are basically the same thing.........;-)

[pixie373]

Ah. Thanks, sqad x

(sorry for interrupting, themorrigan)

[gness]

Morning M...really hoping all is well...x

[Fusion5]

Just reading your post from last night, themorrigan. Hope everything has settled down this morning with your Son. xx

[jakep]

Oh dear, you have not posted for a good while now. I hope that all is well with your son.

[gness]

I keep looking in too...hoping to hear all is well...Gx

[woofgang]

sending a prayer for your son.

[pixie373]

Really hope all ok. The symptoms could be anything really and 111 are likely to terrify you. I hope false alarm and everyone ok xx

[marval]

I hope all is well with your son.

[themorrigan]

Update; He has Viral Gastroenteritis. I've have just got back from pediatric ward , been there since 2am. They sent him back home last night from urgent care with instructions to monitor temperature and if he vomited to return straight away. By 1am his temperature elevated to 40 c and he was vomiting and he was admitted to the pediatric ward of a different hospital, where he was seen by three separate pediatric registrars (who says the NHS is crap?). They monitored his temperature and gave him 10 ml of dioralyte orally every 10 mins but he was still vomiting so they put him on a drip to rehydrate him. He was discharged about 7pm tonight with instructions to keep him hydrated and monitor his temperature, giving him 750 mg paracetamol if needed. He's now in his own bed feeling sick but it could have been worse.What a 24 hours - I feel like I've been through the mill twice.

Thank you for all your kind wishes and thoughts and for just being there -I really mean it -people have differences of opinion, personalities clash and tempers get frayed but AB was the first place I thought of while waiting by the phone by myself for a call last night. its a lovely place xxx

[Mamyalynne]

So glad he is safely back home with you - he will bounce back to health soon I am sure. x

[jakep]

Thank you for the update at such a stressful time. Wishing you all well.

[bednobs]

really pleased to hear this, i was thinking about you both today