Audiological and vestibular findings in 219 cases of meningitis

The audiological and electronystagmographic follow-up results of 219 children with different forms of meningitis are presented. The findings for hearing loss are roughly comparable with those of earlier reports. There have been no previous systematic studies on children with meningitis. Our electronystagmographic results show continuous nystagmus, evenly distributed in different aetiological groups, in 26 patients (12%), directional preponderance in 11 patients (5%) and canal paresis in three patients (1.5%). Disconjugate eye movements indicating a possible brain-stem lesion were observed in seven patients (3%). Eye movements were registered individually for both eyes. None of our patients had clinically significant vertigo. The electronystagmographic findings did not appear with hearing loss, indicating that vestibular disorders may develop independently. Our results support the view that electronystagmography should be performed routinely on every child who has had meningitis.