Anyone can get meningitis, but babies and young children under five years of age are most at risk.
Meningitis symptoms in babies and young children:
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a high fever
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cold hands and feet
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vomiting
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not wanting to feed
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feeling agitated
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not wanting to be picked up
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drowsiness
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becoming floppy or unresponsive
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grunting
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rap breathing / breathlessness
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unusually high-pitched or moaning cry
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pale, blotchy skin
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red rash that doesn't fade when a glass is rolled over it
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tense, bulging soft spot on their head (fontanelle)
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stiff neck
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sensitivity to bright lights
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convulsions
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seizures
The above symptoms may appear in any order - and some may not develop at all.
Fever is often absent in babies less than three months of age.
**REMEMBER: Don't wait for a rash to develop. **
Seek immediate medical help if someone is unwell and displays the symptoms of meningitis.