Do you know the symptoms of meningitis

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Meningitis Awareness.

Do you know the symptoms of meningitis? This devastating disease kills more children than any other infectious disease in the UK and children under 5 are most at risk.

We’ve teamed up with the leading charity The Meningitis Trust to raise awareness about the disease and the often associated septicaemia (blood poisoning) and how to spot its symptoms which can develop very quickly.

Do you know the symptoms?

They can be confusing and difficult to spot! Can you answer the following 2 simple questions correctly?

1. If there isn’t a red rash that still shows even when pressure is applied (The Glass Test), then it’s not meningitis

a. True
b. False

The correct answer is (b) – it’s a commonly held myth that meningitis is always linked with a red rash (and many of us at Small Steps thought this, for example!). Sometimes no rash develops at all, so it’s important to know all the other symptoms.

2. Which of the following are symptoms of the disease:

a. Fever
b. Neck stiffness
c. Dislike of bright lights
d. Drowsy, floppy, unresponsive

The correct answer is all four (a) – (d), although sometimes none of these may be present, but many other symptoms will be.

Read more - check out all the facts you need to know and even download a FREE “signs & symptoms” information card to carry with you in your purse. Help keep your child safe.