Some important pitfalls in the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis in children.

Some of the common errors and problems of the physician who cares for the child with bacterial meningitis are: 1) misdiagnosis; 2) inappropriate handling of cerebrospinal fluid; 3) inadequate assessment of therapeutic responses; 4) inappropriate drug therapy; 5) improper treatment of seizures; 6) inadequate care of increased intracranial pressure; 7) inappropriate evaluation of persistent fever; 8) inappropriate fluid therapy; 9) inadequate investigation of persistent neurologic deficit; 10) overvigorous treatment of subdural effusion; 11) inadequate assessment of neurologic or psychologic impairment; and 12) inadequate consideration of possible underlying defects.