Meningitis

Home » Meningitis » Complications of Meningitis

Complications

Complications such as the following can develop during the course of meningitis:

• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC; blood-clotting disorder)
  
• Encephalitis
• Persistent fever
• Seizures
• Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH; causes fluid build-up)

Prompt medical treatment decreases the risk for brain damage and long-term complications, including these:

• Behavioral and personality changes
• Vision loss (partial or total)
• Cerebral palsy
• Hearing loss (partial or total)
• Learning disabilities or mental retardation
• Paralysis (partial or total)
• Speech loss (partial or total)

Severe bacterial meningitis also may cause the head and heels to bend backward and the body to bow forward (called opisthotonos), coma, and death.

Newborns and young children may develop heart, liver, intestinal problems, or malformed limbs.

© 1998-2010 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Meningitis Resources

	Join Our Meningitis Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar.