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Child Diagnosed With Aseptic Meningitis. Getting Nystagmus And Projectile Vomiting. Any Suggestion?

Posted on Wed, 20 Nov 2013

Question: My 4 year old son has had a severe headache for 6 weeks with high fevers and severe leg pain every 5-8 day's spinal tap showed wbc of 158 then went down to 48 5 days later was diagnosed with aseptic meningitis since then has nystagmus at times with left gaze mainly unstable wide gate episodes of staring in space now has woke up with 102 fever can't move legs without crying and now saying stomach on RUGHT side hurts most of hos complaints has been on right side and has projectile vomiting at tiMrs. Tonight is first complaint of stomach pain. Any suggestions would be great all fungal and bacterial tests have came back negative from hiv hepatitis lymes blasto and histo.

Answered by Dr. Arun (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: will need admission Detailed Answer: Hi Thanks for writing to health care WWW.WWWW.WW .From what you describe your kid probably has raised intracranial pressure because of which I think he's getting nystagmus and projectile vomiting. This needs to be treated urgently to avoid further damage. Usually drugs like mannitol and frusemide are given under medical supervision. I would also suggest to check if HSV virus and Mycoplasma have been ruled out. One more possibility is ADEM which needs Neuro imaging like MRI to confirm. If confirmed it gets better with steroids. Wishing your kid speedy recovery. Regards Dr Arun

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Arun (59 minutes later)

HSV has been ruled out and MRI showed some spots on brain was in hospital for 1 week but did not do any antibiotics or other treatments. Told me to monitor follow up in a month which his PCP said needs to be seen sooner so waiting for second Neuro opinion but now has fever severe leg pain again. I am on way to children's in Chicago to see if any answers his pcp thinks second opinion would be good. Is it normal for a viral meningitis to last 6 week's and now getting more fevers more Neuro problems and not any better at all the symptoms started slow for weeks now in. The last week getting worse is this common with viral meningitis? The Neuro Dr said viral infectious disease Dr said he does not agree with viral and called it aseptic.

Answered by Dr. Arun (4 hours later)

Brief Answer: Needs further evaluation Detailed Answer: Viral meningitis per se would not last for 6 weeks unless complicated by raised ict/ exudates/ ADEM etc. I do feel your kid needs second opinion which you are going to do now, its better you get another MRI because new changes might give a clue to why this is going on for 6 weeks. Regards Dr Arun

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar