EARLY AND SUBSEQUENT LESIONS IN THE AUDIT ORY AND VESTIBULAR SYSTEM IN CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS AFTER MENINGITIS

Meningitis is still one of the serious infectious diseases in clinical practise. In a high percentage of cases with this disease process, th e auditory and vestibular parts of the inner ear are damaged. In this study the auditory and vestibular systems of 53 children and teenagers between 1.7 and 18.7 years of age were examined following meningitis. The mean time-interval between meningitis and examination was 5.8 yea rs. Eighty-one of 106 ears examined showed sensorineural hearing losse s which varied between mild hearing loss and total deafness. Periphera l vestibular lesions were found in 60 of 106 labyrinths examined. Thes e varied between inhibition and total loss of function. In addition, w e also found central vestibular lesions in 29 cases. Mild and moderate combined auditory and vestibular lesions could be verified in 23 ears , whereas profound functional disturbances or functional losses were f ound in 29 ears examined. Eight of 40 ears with hearing losses and 12 of 40 ears with peripheral vestibular lesions showed progression durin g follow-up. The findings of this study emphasize the need for auditor y and vestibular diagnostic studies followed meningitits in children a nd teenagers. Patients and their families should be cared for on a lon g-term basis to avoid social and psychological problems.