Question

The 5-year-old child has been running a fever for three consecutive days, with nighttime high fever reaching 39 degrees, and also experiencing headaches and drowsiness. Could these symptoms be a sign of meningitis?

Answer

Hello, the symptoms you described may be due to an upper respiratory infection. This is often caused by catching a cold and may be accompanied by symptoms such as coughing, dizziness, headaches, elevated body temperature, muscle aches, and decreased appetite. If these symptoms are caused by meningitis, the patient may also experience increased intracranial pressure and vomiting (in a projectile manner). Therefore, meningitis is not currently considered as a possibility. Here are some recommended measures:

  1. Keep the child warm and avoid catching a cold.
  2. Conduct blood routine tests, sputum bacterial culture, drug sensitivity tests, and mycoplasma checks to determine the causative agent of the infection and the corresponding treatment drugs.
  3. Drink plenty of water to maintain adequate fluid intake.
  4. If you are concerned, consider undergoing a brain MRI to avoid delaying the condition. CT scans are less sensitive for this type of situation. I hope my answer is helpful to you.