1 in 3 Kids That Had Bacterial Meningitis Have Permanent Neurological Damage: Study

Children diagnosed at a younger age are at higher risk of suffering from multiple disabilities like seizures, emotional disorders, and cognitive disabilities.

A child is vaccinated against bacterial meningitis in Beijing on Feb. 3, 2005. Guang Niu/Getty Images

A significant portion of children become permanently disabled after contracting bacterial meningitis, with affected individuals at 26 times more risk of suffering structural damage to their heads, according to a recent Swedish study.

The peer-reviewed study, published by JAMA Network on Jan. 19, investigated the long-term risk of disabilities among individuals diagnosed with bacterial meningitis during childhood.