The earliest symptoms of meningitis include vomiting, fever, and headaches. With babies, there are different ways to detect the signs and symptoms of meningitis since the baby cannot communicate their pain and discomfort to you with words. Symptoms can progress quickly between 3 to 5 days of initial infection. It is therefore important to get your baby to medical attention immediately. Examine and lightly feel all around the baby's head for bulging and tense soft spots. The bulging soft spots will most likely appear on the sides of the baby's head in their fontanelle regions, which are gaps present in the baby's skull as their cranium continues to develop., A bulging fontanelle is not always indicative of meningitis. Regardless of the possible causes, a bulging fontanelle is always an emergency and you must take your baby to an emergency room immediately. Some other conditions that cause a bulging fontanelle include:  Encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain, usually caused by an infection. Hydrocephalus, caused by fluid buildup in the brain. This can happen because of an obstruction or narrowing of ventricles that help channel fluid out. Increased intracranial pressure, caused by a build-up of fluid. This can restrict blood flow to the brain. Use an oral or rectal thermometer to check for fever. The baby may have a fever if the temperature is above 37.5ºC (99.5ºF). A very high temperature could be a sign of a medical emergency, depending on the baby's age:  Under 3 months of age, always seek medical attention for a temperature above 38°C (100.4°F). 3–6 months: always seek attention for a fever above 39ºC (102.2ºF). Older than 6 months: always seek attention for a fever above 40°C (104°F). Do not rely solely on a high temperature to tell you that you should take the baby to an emergency room. Babies younger than three months with meningitis often have no fever. If your baby is ill, she will display irritability such as crying, moaning or thrashing. This may happen especially when you pick her up due to painful, achy muscles and joints. She may be quiet when she is stationary, but she will start crying loudly when picked up.  Listen for changes in the baby's crying that may indicate pain or discomfort. The baby may whimper and moan excessively or emit cries that are higher than normal in pitch.  The baby might also have pained or extreme crying when you cradle her or touch the neck area. Bright light might also trigger crying due to photophobia. If you suspect meningitis, examine and watch the baby for signs of stiffness in her body, especially in her neck. The baby may not be able to touch her chest with her chin, and she may display jerky, abrupt movements. Take a look at the baby's skin tone and complexion. You may observe skin that is extremely pale or blotchy, or it might have developed a bluish hue.  Look for rashes that are pink, purple-red, or brown or develop rash clusters of pin-prick dots that resemble bruises. If you are unsure whether the blotchy spots on the baby is a rash, you can verify by using the tumbler/glass test. This is done by gently pressing a clear drinking glass to the affected area of the skin. If the rash or red spots do not disappear because of the glass being pressed against the skin, the baby most likely has a rash. If you can see a rash through the clear glass, go to the emergency room immediately.  If the baby has a darker complexion, a rash may be difficult to observe.  In this case, look at areas such as the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, the stomach, or near the eyelids.  These areas may also have what resembles red dots or pinpricks. Your baby may not appear as hungry as usual. She may refuse to eat when you try to feed them and vomit anything they ingest. Look for signs of weakness. The baby may appear limp, lifeless, and tired or may appear sleepy constantly regardless of the rest they have received. This occurs as the infection spreads throughout the meninges. Observe the baby for irregular breathing patterns. The baby may breathe faster than normal or have difficulty breathing. Observe if the baby seems to have extreme, constant shivering and unusual coldness, especially on her hands and feet. Meningitis occurs when an infection causes the meninges or the tissue that lines your brain and spinal cord to become inflamed and swollen. The infection is usually due to certain bacterial or viral invasion into the baby's system. Causes of meningitis include:  Viral: This is the number one cause of meningitis in the world, and it may resolve on its own. However, the baby still needs to be seen by a medical professional because the effects of the infection can be deadly if supportive care isn't provided. For children and babies, it is important for the parent or guardian to follow all immunization protocols. Mothers who are infected with herpes simplex virus or HSV-2 can transmit the virus to their baby during labor, if the mother has active genital lesions.,  Bacterial: This type is common in newborns and babies. Fungal: This type of meningitis is uncommon and usually affects AIDS patients as well as others who have compromised immune systems (e.g. transplant recipients and patients receiving chemotherapy). Miscellaneous: Other types of meningitis may be chemical, drug, inflammatory and cancer.
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