Management – Overview

Pediatric meningitis is a potentially life-threatening condition that necessitates prompt and effective management. The primary goal is to eradicate the causative organism, manage the inflammatory response, and prevent complications.

• Initial Management: Speed is of the essence. As soon as meningitis is suspected, especially the bacterial form, empiric antibiotic therapy should be initiated even before the results of the lumbar puncture are available. This is crucial in preventing morbidity and mortality.
• Antimicrobial Therapy: The choice of antibiotics is guided by the likely causative organism and its anticipated antibiotic sensitivity. This is often based on the patient’s age, clinical presentation, and epidemiological factors. Once the causative organism is identified, therapy can be further tailored.
• Supportive Care: Managing complications like raised intracranial pressure, seizures, and shock are paramount. Supportive measures, such as hydration, antipyretics, and analgesics, are also necessary.
• Adjunctive Therapy: In certain cases, adjunctive therapy with corticosteroids may be beneficial in reducing neurological complications, especially in cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.