Meningococcus I: the clinical picture
Infections with meningococci (bacteria that can cause dangerous meningitis, for example) are fortunately very rare and fortunately we can also do a lot to prevent them with vaccinations (more on this in Part II).
But the problem with meningococcal infections is that when they happen, they are often very severe. The children, the babies, often get worse very, very quickly. And there is still a high mortality rate of over 10 per cent. It is therefore all the more important to prevent this disease or, if it does occur, to recognise it at an early stage.
So what do we need to look out for?
We need to differentiate. In infants, these infections often occur without any major accompanying symptoms, sometimes they don't even have a fever. And that's why our mantra is: an infant who looks strange, i.e. pale, has poor circulation, doesn't drink well and doesn't move, kick or look much when awake, who is simply not very active and appears apathetic or lethargic, must be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
In children and adolescents, infections usually progress in such a way that they have a fever, headaches and vomiting and are simply not feeling well. And then there are two symptoms that are often mentioned and that you need to know a bit about.
One is so-called neck stiffness, which is often confused with aching limbs. There is a good test to recognise it: take a piece of paper and ask the child to pinch it under the chin so that it cannot be pulled out easily. If the child can do this, he or she certainly does not have neck stiffness.
The second point is the so-called petechiae. This is quite difficult to explain. They are small haemorrhages on the skin that differ from a rash in that they cannot be squeezed away. However, petechiae also often occur with harmless viral infections. They occur when children have to cough or spit a lot, in which case they may have petechiae on their face. This is why it is not suitable as the sole criterion. But one thing is clear: if they occur and the child is also in a poor general condition, then it should also be examined quickly. And if you are worried that the child has petechiae, it is also advisable to go to the paediatrician's practice. However, in a child who is otherwise in good general health, there is no reason to panic.
One more sentence about treatment: This is carried out with antibiotics, as soon as possible and initially always as an inpatient, so that intensive care measures are also possible.
Further interesting tips
Worms
Something from the disgusting box again today. It's about worms. This is actually a very, very common story in small children - and often causes a lot of disgust in the children concerned and their families, even though the whole thing is a fairly harmless story from a medical point of view.
"Democracy needs education"
A "must-read" for anyone who has to deal with children - especially in their early years: "Democracy needs education. Why resistance to authoritarian tendencies begins in childhood". A book by paediatrician Herbert Renz-Polster and Ulrich Renz - where the title already says a lot ..
Dogan paediatrics guide
Our paediatrician colleague Özgür Dogan from Stuttgart has created something really great: He has basically written a book that covers all aspects of our profession - and published the whole thing not as a book, but as an app.