I don't know the chances of problems from a spinal tap,but I do know the risk is pretty high and needs to be weighed against the risk of not doing it. I suspect the parents and their attorney will bring that into the courtroom, too.
My wife went to the emergency room for a migraine 3 weeks ago. Her doctor admitted her and started pumping her full of drugs. The migraine would not go away. MRI's, CAT Scans, etc. Nothing showed up. Everything was normal. Unfortunately I was not able to be there during the day so I always missed out on the neurologist's visits.
Then they decided to use a steriod nerve block (Medrol) injections at the base of her skull. They did this. Next thing her heart rate shot up, she was dilerious, mumbling, talking like she was smashed. She passed out in front of the nurses at one point. So they moved her to the cardio surgical unit. Ran some more heart tests. Find out she has mitral valve prolapse (ok? 75% of the people in the world have that including my dad, my brother and most likely me (I've never been tested)). Cardiologist comes to see her, says that same thing I just did. There is nothing wrong with her, the MVP is normal in most people, nothing to be concerned about.
Finally, I asked her to call me when the neurologist shows up next time. She calls, puts him on, I start getting into a rant. I tell him that 95% of the time her migraines start because of tension in her neck muscles, and she stated that this was one of those times, why didn't he order a muscle relaxer and some massage therapy. He says "Well, we can't do any therapy now because the injection sites are so swollen and sore nobody can touch them." IDIOT!!!
So, here it is 1 week into the hospitalization for a headache and they are getting ready to release her when she complains of pain in her arm. MRI = blood clot found. They put her on coumadin (WTF?! For a simple vein blood clot that is only block one of numerous veins in her arm?). They denied that it had anything to do with the 12 puncture sites on her right arm when they were trying to find a vein for the IV's and blood draws for tests. So because of the coumadin, she had to stay in the hospital and extra 4 days.
The pain in her arm is now gone, we assume that meanst he clot is gone. She has to stay on the Coumadin for at least 6 months.
To me, this doctor was thinking too much, he was trying to treat the effect of the cause instead of treating the cause.
All that, for a headache.
I've only been to the hospital once and that was only because my wife twisted my arm after my car accident 3 months ago.
Also, the point I was going to make about meningitis. Her neuro said she may have viral meningitis, which can be tested for via a spinal tap but that would make her migraine worse and only confirm she has it, they can't treat viral meningitis.
If it had been bacterial meningitis, she would've already been dead by that point.