Neurological Complications of Childhood Bacterial Meningitis as seen in Enugu.

Abstract

Summary:A review of 9,967 admissions to the paediatric wards of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, over a 10-year pe riod revealed 312 cases of pyogenic meningitis. Of this number, 35 children aged between 3 and 168 months (mean, 31 months) had post-meningitic neurological complications. The major deficits identified included visual and hearing loss, generalised hypertonia, ataxia, dyskinetic move ments and impaired speech. The occurrence of convulsion and long duration of symptoms be fore presentation had significant association with the development of complications. Some of the deficits, such as visual loss were transient and resolved during follow-up, often as early as during the first six months after discharge.