Sickle cell disease, pneumococcal meningitis and paraplegia with recovery.

A 10-year-old boy without previous illness was found to have sickle cell disease and pneumococcal meningitis. On completion of 10 days of treatment with penicillin, the only abnormality still present was paraplegia. Movements of the legs recovered gradually, and after 3 months he was walking normally. Paraplegia is rare in sickle cell disease and the prognosis is not always poor.