Early symptoms can look similar to a cold or flu, but someone with meningitis or septicaemia can become seriously ill in a matter of hours.
Meningitis
- Fever
- A very bad headache
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- A dislike of bright lights
- A rash (do not wait for a rash to appear before seeking medical advice)
- Confusion
- Being very sleepy or difficult to wake
- Seizures or fits
Sepsis
- Fever and shivering
- Severe pains
- Vomiting
- Very cold hands and feet
- Pale or blotchy skin
- Rapid breathing
- Diarrhoea and stomach cramps
- Severe tiredness or losing consciousness
- Red or purple “bruised” or blotchy rash on skin that does not fade under pressure – do the glass test. On dark skin, check paler areas of the skin, such as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, roof of the mouth, and the eyelids.
- Difficulty walking or standing
