Preparing questions in advance can help patients and parents have more meaningful discussions with physicians regarding the child’s treatment options. The following questions related to meningitis may be helpful:

1. What signs should I look for that might indicate meningitis in my child?
   
   
2. How serious is my child’s case of meningitis?
   
   
3. Is my child’s meningitis bacterial or viral?
   
   
4. What are my child’s treatment options?
   
   
5. How long will it take for my child to recover?
   
   
6. How likely is my child to have long-term disabilities as a result of this infection?
   
   
7. Should I warn neighbors, school officials or others about my child’s infection?
   
   
8. How common is this form of meningitis?
   
   
9. Should my family take any other precautions now that my child has this illness?
   
   
10. How do I know if my child’s meningitis is gone?
    
    
11. Will over-the-counter medicines help my child?
    
    
12. My child had meningitis as a baby. Will this affect his or her health in the future?