Daveigh Chase, a former child actor who was known for her role at the voice of Lilo in “Lilo & Stitch” and her role in “The Ring” has died.
Chase, who was 35, died from a blood infection and bacterial meningitis, according to her father, who confirmed her death to NBC News via text.
Bacterial meningitis, a potentially fatal infection that causes the protective membranes of the brain and spine to become inflamed, is relatively rare. According to the National Meningitis Association, about “600 – 1,000 people contract meningococcal disease in the U.S. each year.”
It can lead to serious complications including death, seizures and coma, but treatment is available and is most effective if started quickly.
Here’s how to identify the issue and what to do if you suspect you or a loved one has it:
The Early Symptoms Of Bacterial Meningitis
How can you spot bacterial meningitis? The less-than-ideal answer is that it can be difficult to diagnose right away, according to Dr. Kristin Moffitt, a physician in the infectious disease division of Boston Children’s Hospital.
Some of the early symptoms include fever and headache. Of course, these red flags are incredibly broad.
Typically, “99.9% of the time fever and headache are not due to bacterial meningitis,” Moffitt told HuffPost. “I wouldn’t want parents to be concerned that these two things mean something horribly serious is going on, because the odds are, they’re not.”
Other signs include sleepiness, a rash on the skin, bruising easily, irritability and a lack of appetite, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Symptoms usually come on quickly once someone is infected ― often within a few hours.
And when these include issues like lethargy, a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, confusion, or nausea and vomiting, that’s the time to seek emergency care, Moffitt said.
How Bacterial Meningitis Is Spread And What To Do If You Notice Symptoms
There are some initial steps you can take after noticing symptoms — namely, close monitoring and creating a course of action.
“If a child is not showing the full constellation of symptoms consistent with bacterial meningitis, I think it’s OK to start by treating the fever and getting on a call with your pediatrician’s office,” Moffitt said.
Bacterial meningitis is commonly spread through prolonged and fairly close contact with an infected person — like sitting next to them for an entire day, for example — and it’s not necessarily just something transmitted in passing. However, even if someone contracts the illness from an infected person, that does not mean they will definitely experience bacterial meningitis.
“The majority of people exposed to or infected with these bacteria don’t develop meningitis,” Moffitt said. “It’s not entirely clear why, in rare instances, infection with these bacteria can lead to meningitis, but it likely has to do with factors unique to both the bacteria and the newly infected host.”
Still, while not very common, early diagnosis is crucial in ensuring swift treatment.
“The only true way to determine bacterial meningitis is by doing a lumbar puncture, or spinal tap, which is done in an [emergency room],” Moffitt said. “Ideally, IV antibiotics are also started as soon as someone suspects bacterial meningitis.”
Without taking these steps, the risk of long-term issues increases. Moffitt said these tend to be neurological, and they can have an effect on brain development or cause hearing loss. The course of treatment usually involves 7 to 14 days of IV antibiotic, but Moffitt said patients should start to feel better between 24 and 48 hours after medical care begins.
As with many of the other infectious diseases spread through respiratory droplets or oral secretions, there are effective ways to prevent contracting and passing on bacterial meningitis.
“Keeping a child up to date on their immunizations is far and away one of the most effective steps toward keeping them protected,” Moffitt said, adding that other crucial measures include regular hand-washing and letting a child stay home when they feel sick.
The same advice is true for adults. According to the CDC, certain widely available vaccines, such as the pneumococcal vaccine, can protect you from some of the types of bacteria that cause meningitis.
“This is just another reminder to parents: Please don’t send your children to school if they’re sick, having a fever,” she said. “I hope we’ve all learned that it’s not appropriate to give a dose of ibuprofen to a child and send them on their way.”
The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.
