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Identification
What should I look for?
Meningitis and septicaemia can be difficult to recognise initially as the first symptoms are just like many other mild childhood illnesses.
Children with the most common form of meningitis or septicaemia will usually get ill quickly and the condition will worsen rapidly, so they should be checked often, including during the night.
It is important to look for a rash. Many things can cause a rash, such as allergies and viruses, but if the rash does not disappear or fade when under pressure (see Tumbler Test below), medical help should be requested immediately.
Medical help should still be requested urgently if an unwell child has no rash but is showing other symptoms, as a rash is usually a ate symptom in meningococcal infection and is not usually seen in other, rarer kinds of memingitis.
Tumbler test for septicaemia
If someone is ill and gets a rash, the Tumbler Test should be used to see if the rash disappears under pressure.
The entire body should be checked for spots or blotches. If a glass tumbler is pressed firmly against a rash caused by septicaemia, the marks do not fade and the rash can still be seen through the glass. Other common rashes or spots will fade when pressure is applied. If the rash does not fade, medical support should be requested immediately. As the rash is harder to see on dark skin, paler areas should be checked. It should be remembered that someone who is very ill needs medical help even if they have no rash or a rash that fades.
IF THE RASH DOES NOT FADE UNDER PRESSURE GET MEDICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY.
Septicaemic rash
Septicaemic rash appears as tiny red or brown pin-prick marks, which can change into larger red or purple blotches or blood blisters.
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| Early stages of septicaemia (blood poisoning) (picture courtesy Dr A Riordan) |
Typical rash of septicaemia (picture courtesy Dr A Riordan) |
Septicaemic rash inside the eyelids (picture courtesy D A Warrell) |
The rash can be harder to see on dark skin, so check for spots especially on paler areas like palms of the hands, soles of the feet, the stomach, inside the eyelids and on the roof of the mouth.
It is important to remember that a very ill person needs medical help even if there are only a few spots, a rash that fades or no rash at all.