ABSTRACT
Eighty per cent of all bacterial meningitis occurs in childhood, with a mortality of 10% (over 100 deaths per year in the UK). It is the commonest cause of acquired sensorineural deafness, and can lead to other neurological sequelae, including epilepsy. The organisms responsible vary with age, and the choice of antibiotics therefore depends on the age of the child as well as the local pattern of drug resistance. Meningitis may also follow infection with a wide variety of viruses, and the prognosis is usually good with no specific treatment. Encephalitis is usually viral or post-infectious and is characterized by fever, disturbed consciousness, convulsions and focal neurological signs. Tuberculous meningitis should be considered in every case of aseptic meningitis or encephalitis. The onset is usually insidious and these children often develop focal neurological signs before a diagnosis is made.
