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Table 1 Characteristics of survey participants, including illness, sequelae and aftercare requirements

From: The health, social and educational needs of children who have survived meningitis and septicaemia: the parents’ perspective

 

n

%

Disease form

  

Meningitis

76

39.2

Septicaemia

16

8.3

Both meningitis and septicaemia

102

52.6

Total

194

 

Causative agent

  

Meningococcal

68

35.1

Pneumococcal

49

25.3

Other bacterial

30

15.5

Viral

4

2.1

Fungal

6

3.1

Unknown

37

19.1

Total

194

 

Severity of after-effects 1

  

No after-effects

45

23.2

Moderate short term

14

7.2

Severe short term

31

16.0

Moderate permanent

43

22.2

Severe permanent

39

20.1

Moderate and severe permanent

1

0.5

Too soon to tell if permanent

6

3.1

Too soon to tell if any

15

7.7

Total

194

 

Sequelae 2

  

Behavioural, psychological or emotional

79

40.7

Fatigue (affecting day-to-day activities)

50

25.8

Recurrent severe headaches

33

17.0

Sensory (hearing loss/balance problems/visual loss or disturbance)

37

19.1

Motor or coordination problems

29

15.0

Epilepsy or other seizure disorder

17

8.8

Hydrocephalus

7

3.6

Brain damage

37

19.1

Scarring/tissue or muscle damage/long term wounds

31

16.0

Joint or limb pain/arthritis

35

18.0

Amputations or growth plate damage

14

7.2

Organ damage

7

3.6

Aftercare or support service needed 3,4

  

Educational support

59

30.4

Physiotherapy

49

25.3

Speech and language therapy

38

19.6

Behavioural, psychological or emotional support

36

18.6

Occupational therapy

30

15.5

Hearing follow-up

26

13.4

Neurology

26

13.4

Child development centre services

24

12.4

Plastics

12

6.2

Orthopaedics

12

6.2

Prosthetics

6

3.1

Treatment for hydrocephalus (CSF chunt)

5

2.6

No aftercare or support needed

83

42.8

Only one aftercare or support service needed

28

14.4

>1 aftercare or support service

83

42.8

  1. 1Parents could select more than one category under severity of after-effects, here we have only counted the most severe category a parent selected.
  2. 2Parents could report more than one type of sequelae per child so the total here exceeds 194, but the percentage is based on the proportion of the sample (x/194) reporting that after-effect.
  3. 3This includes parents who chose the answer ‘My child will need this in future’.
  4. 4Parent could report more than one type of aftercare per child so the total here exceeds 194, but the percentage is based on the proportion of the sample (x/194) reporting that aftercare need.