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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP

David Perlstein, MD, MBA, FAAP

Dr. Perlstein received his Medical Degree from the University of Cincinnati and then completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at The New York Hospital, Cornell medical Center in New York City. After serving an additional year as Chief Pediatric Resident, he worked as a private practitioner and then was appointed Director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.

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Meningitis in Children Treatment

Self-Care at Home

Meningitis, especially bacterial-caused, can be a rapidly progressing, life-threatening disease, so immediate medical care is important if meningitis is suspected in a child. If the child's condition is rapidly deteriorating, call 911 for transport. There is no home treatment for bacterial-caused meningitis.

• Sometimes, children are sent home from the emergency room if the doctor is confident that the child has viral meningitis. Frequently, a child with viral meningitis can be treated successfully at home by taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or other pain medications and by drinking plenty of fluids. If a child has viral meningitis, follow-up care is still important.
• Have the child reevaluated within one to two days to be sure that he or she is improving.
• Watch for any worsening signs or symptoms and if necessary, return immediately to a medical facility.