Urine
A urinalysis is recommended for patients with no obvious focus of infection.
Lumbar Puncture (LP)
An LP is not recommended in children considered to be haemodynamically unstable.
Strongly consider LP if the child is less than 12 months and consider LP if the child is less than 18 months.
LP is recommended if:
• Child has received antibiotics prior to the seizure as partially treated meningitis could be present in
children who were on antibiotics prior to the seizure, and in these cases consider an LP regardless of age.
Even if an LP is performed and the results are negative, one may consider treatment of meningitis, as
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be normal in the early stages of meningitis.6
• Meningeal signs are present:
Meningeal irritation is defined as presence of Brudzinski sign (flexion of the neck causes flexion of the
patient’s hips and knees), Kernig sign (pain elicited with 90 degree hip flexion and knee extension), or
neck stiffness in children older than 1 year of age. In children 1 year or younger, signs of meningeal
irritation are the signs mentioned herein or irritability during manipulation of head or legs by the physician
and/or a bulging fontanel.8 It should be stressed that clinical signs of meningitis are insensitive and if
the clinician is suspicious that meningitis is present the LP should not be delayed while awaiting for
these signs to