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Children are unfortunately particularly vulnerable to encephalitis: an uncommon but serious condition in which the brain becomes inflamed. Flu-like symptoms are often the first tell-tale sign, quickly becoming much more severe and even life-threatening with the onset of confusion and other symptoms related to the brain and nervous system.
If you suspect your child has encephalitis, don’t delay: call 999 straight away or take them to the closest emergency department.
If your child's symptoms are mild, they may be able to be safely and comfortably treated at home. More severe cases may require treatment in hospital.
Your consultant will first focus on stabilising your child's symptoms, before ordering several tests to find out if they have encephalitis. These might include:
Speed is of the essence when treating encephalitis. The earlier your child gets diagnosed and treated, the better. The cause and nature of their encephalitis will determine what your consultant suggests as the best course of treatment for your child.
Treatments may include:
Depending on the severity of your child's condition, they could be treated at home or have a stay in hospital lasting anything from days to weeks, or even months.
There are two types of encephalitis which will bring on different symptoms in a child.
1) Infectious encephalitis usually starts with milder flu-like symptoms:
More serious symptoms can follow hours, days or weeks later. These include:
2) Autoimmune encephalitis is usually symptomless at first but can develop into:
Infectious encephalitis is very rare and happens when a common infection reaches a child’s brain. Typical viruses known to trigger this include:
Autoimmune encephalitis occurs when a child’s immune system stops functioning as it should and starts attacking their brain, causing it to react and become inflamed
Rare causes are bacterial or fungal infections caused by mosquitoes in Southeast Asia and ticks in Europe, Russia and parts of Asia. The risk in the UK is very low.
While encephalitis does not always have a clear cause, it cannot be caught from another person.
You’re welcome to visit our HCA Healthcare UK outpatient centres at The Portland Hospital with your child. Our paediatric acute neurological rehabilitation unit is also based there. You can visit our paediatricians at our clinics in Chiswick, Golders Green, Elstree or at The Shard too.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.