The viral form is most common, and in a toddler, would appear to be a 24-48 hour mild flu like, nonspecific illness.
In an adult, it will put you in the ICU for a week.
Antibiotics do nothing to treat viral meningitis.Child or adult.
Managing the almost unimaginable pain, and monitoring for secondary complications is the extent of the palliative care, and is about all that can be done medically.It's a 100% crap shoot on how much damage the condition will wreak on any given patient.
Bacterial meningitis, the more rare but deadly version, if accurately diagnosed within 24-48 hours of onset, can be treated with massive antibiotics, and requires intensive care in hospital, under isolated, ICU supervision.
There is little chance of surviving and recovering completely, without some measurable degree of lingering weakness/disability.
Ranging from negligible to large loss of hearing, sight,motor function, memory etc.
One won't be unscathed.
I wish I didn't know this, since I learned all these details through personal experience.
I am thankful I “only” had the viral version.
There is no acquired immunity, having once had the viral version.
I tend to freak out when I get a headache now....
My daughter had bacterial meningitis when she was 6 months old. Doctors told us to prepare for the worst, or brain damage if she lived. She survived thanks to antibiotics. Minor, almost undetectable hearing damage was the only lasting effect. My 'little' girl is now in her late 40s.