What is a late complication of meningitis in a child?

AIIMS Rishikesh NO - 2019

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Rishikesh NO - 2019

Explanation

Meningitis can cause irreversible damage to brain parenchyma due to inflammation, ischemia, and cytotoxic injury.
Mental retardation (now termed intellectual disability or cognitive impairment) is a classic long-term sequela resulting from this permanent brain damage.
It represents a lasting deficit in cognitive function that becomes apparent after the acute phase of the illness has passed.
Sources confirm that cognitive impairment is one of the most common neurologic sequelae of bacterial meningitis, affecting a significant percentage of survivors.

Option A: Hydrocephalus (buildup of CSF) can be both an acute complication (due to inflammatory exudate blocking CSF pathways) and a late complication (due to scarring). Because it is not exclusively a late complication, it is a less precise answer.
Option B: Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain tissue itself. It is an acute process that can occur concurrently with meningitis (a condition called meningoencephalitis), not a late complication that develops after the infection resolves.
Option D: Failure to growth (or failure to thrive) is a non-specific consequence of severe, chronic illness and is not considered a primary neurological complication of meningitis.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Late complications and long-term sequelae of pediatric meningitis as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key nursing role is educating parents about the importance of routine childhood immunizations (e.g., Hib, PCV, MenACWY) which prevent the most common causes of bacterial meningitis.
Nurses must conduct thorough neurological assessments and monitor for signs of long-term sequelae in children recovering from meningitis, such as hearing loss, vision problems, and developmental delays.
All children who have had bacterial meningitis should have a formal audiology assessment before or soon after hospital discharge, as hearing loss is a very common and often immediate sequela.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'late complication' and 'meningitis'.
Understand the difference between an 'acute' complication (occurs during the illness) and a 'late' complication or 'sequela' (a permanent deficit remaining after the illness).
Evaluate each option based on this timeline.
Recognize that encephalitis is an acute inflammation.
Recall that hydrocephalus can be either acute or late.
Identify that 'mental retardation' (intellectual disability) is a permanent cognitive deficit, making it a classic late sequela.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Late complications and long-term sequelae of pediatric meningitis.
Stem keywords: late complication, meningitis, child
Lead-in keywords: What is
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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