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Early meningitis hurts marks

Babies who survive meningitis may struggle during their school years, a British study in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood suggests.

Meningitis, an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, can cause serious disability or death.

Imperial College London researchers compared 461 teen students who survived meningitis as babies with 289 students who never had the disease. The study found that 25 percent of the meningitis survivors failed to pass a single national exam, compared with 6.6 percent of students in the comparison group, BBC News reported.

The researchers also found that about eight percent of meningitis survivors were in special schools. That's about four times the British national average.

"The adverse consequences of infantile meningitis clearly extend into adult life and seriously affect educational achievement," the study authors wrote. "It is essential that all cases of bacterial meningitis occurring during the first year of life are followed up fully so that children who require educational and other support are recognised at an early age." – (HealthDayNews)

Read more:
Meningitis: 10 quick facts
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