Overview Of The Causes And Complications Of Meningitis

Learning Disabilities

Some patients who have meningitis may experience learning disabilities as an ongoing complication. This is especially true of those who contract meningitis in infancy or childhood. Meningitis can affect the way the brain develops in young people, which can lead to learning disabilities and cognitive impairment. The learning disabilities may take on a variety of forms depending on the effect of the disease on the brain. A learning disability is a neurological issue that interferes with processing. Some disabilities affect an individual's ability to learn skills like math, writing, and reading. There can also be neurological effects on things like time planning, organization, long and short term memory, attention, concentration, and abstract reasoning. Even though learning disabilities are best known for impeding academic performance, they can also affect an individual's interpersonal relationships and functioning in the workplace. Some problems, like issues with reading and writing and math, can be detected during the school years. Other learning disabilities are more abstract and may be more difficult to diagnose. One example is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which often goes undiagnosed in children.

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Issues With Gait

Meningitis can cause issues with gait both during the course of the disease and afterward. Balance is controlled in part by the inner ear. The ears and brain work together to help establish a sense of equilibrium. When meningitis causes the brain to swell, this equilibrium is often disrupted, which leads to dizziness and a loss of balance. Some individuals may fall. These cases tend to resolve once the meningitis is treated and the person has recovered. In other cases, there may be more permanent damage to the brain that leads to gait abnormalities. While recovering from meningitis, doctors should keep an eye on a patient's cognitive function and physical function to assess any neurological abnormalities. Issues with gait can include unsteadiness, trouble staying balanced, and difficulty walking in general. Some patients experience vertigo, lightheadedness, and dizziness. Not all problems with gait are neurological, and it's possible to have gait problems that have nothing to do with meningitis. The potential complications from gait abnormalities include trauma, injury, pain, and inflammation.