Bacterial meningitis happens when bacteria (a type of germ) cause inflammation (swelling and irritation) of the covering of the brain and spinal cord (called the meninges). Your child was treated with antibiotics and can now be cared for at home. Children need close follow-up as they recover from bacterial meningitis, so make sure your child goes to all recommended checkups.

• Let your child rest if needed. 
• Help your child get back to their routine as they feel up to it.
• Offer your child their regular diet. 
• You can give medicine for pain or fever if your health care provider says it's OK. Use one of these medicines exactly as directed:
  • acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand)
  OR
  • ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Do not give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.
• Don't give aspirin to your child. It could lead to serious medical problems.

Be sure to:

• Follow up with your child's health care provider as scheduled, even if your child is doing well. Sometimes bacterial meningitis can cause problems later, such as slight changes in hearing, behavior, learning abilities, or thinking. Your health care provider will do a hearing test (if this wasn't done at the hospital) and will do repeat checkups to make sure your child is getting better and developing well.

Your child:

• starts vomiting and cannot keep fluids down
• gets another fever
• seems to be getting sicker
• has any of these signs of dehydration:
  • a dry or sticky mouth
  • peeing less
  • no tears when crying
  • sunken eyes

Your child:

• develops a severe headache
• has a seizure
• develops a rash
• is unusually sleepy, hard to wake up, or very irritable
• is acting confused or disoriented

How is meningitis diagnosed? Health care providers do a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to test a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Your child's test results showed that the meningitis was caused by bacteria.

Is bacterial meningitis contagious? Yes. The different types of bacteria that cause meningitis spread in different ways. Some can spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Others can spread when someone eats food that is contaminated with bacteria. Your child should cough and sneeze into a tissue or an elbow. Until all symptoms are gone, caregivers should wash their hands well and often, and cups and utensils should not be shared.

Can meningitis be prevented? Safe and effective vaccines protect against some of the types of bacteria that can cause meningitis. Talk to your health care provider to make sure your kids have had all recommended vaccines for their age, particularly the pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines.