Hi , I probably have not been on this site for over a year two but being fairly bored at work today decided to logon and look at the premature baby section and saw your meningitis title.
My Daughter was born at 24 weeks 1lb 9oz and at 2 days old was diagnosed with Fungal Brain Meningitis . Brain meningitis can be treated with antibiotics and in fact she was on them for 8 weeks before she was given the all clear, it just took a while to clear in her case. She also had pda and the combination meant she was back on the ventilator for a short while. We did not mind as it meant she could put everyhting into fighting the infection, being on the ventilator helped her.
She does have hearing loss and wears hearing aids, (we believe the long course of antibiotics damaged the hair filaments in her ears) but I don't see her having hearing aids any worse than my needing glasses. Anyway by the time she is 20 stem cell technology will probably be advanced enough to repair the damage. Sheffield Uni is researching it now. Hearing loss is only a possible end result and she hears most things with the hearing aids so talking will come.
A brain scan did show two areas of cysts, POSSIBLY a result of the meningitis, on her brain which resulted in a mild form of cerebral palsy. The cp mainly affects her walking and resulted in developmental DELAY. It
We only use on average 20-30 of our brain and nomally functions like walking or speech develop in the same area for all of us. However in a young baby these neural pathways are just being formed. As the baby develops and the neural pathways detect a damaged area they try and reroute themselves and form a different pathway over a non damaged area, So functions will come automatically to most babies can take much longer to achieve but there is a chance of no or very little lasting damage resulting from cysts on the brain. Equally if caught in time it may not result in any cysts at all.
Our Charlotte was 4 last weekend and walks using a frame but crawling is still her main method. However she is expected to eventually walk without a frame, hopefully in the next year . She also managed to stand unaided,(albeit for 20/30 seconds) for the first time last weekend. She is also only just starting to communicate and understand us and is probably at the level of an 18 month old but the important thing is that she is progressing.
She did not sit up until 16 months or crawl until 22 months but now does both with no problems. My point is that as regards milestones it does not matter how long it takes to get to the finishing line, it is crossing it which is important. We have just had to be a lot more patient and focus on the fact she is catching up although very slowly. we know she will get there.
Every baby is different and no outcome may be exactly the same but i just wanted your friend to know we have been through it too and there is hope. We have just put some new photo's on her website,(
www.charlottelow.com) so pass it on and let her know that if we can be of any further help then please do not hesitate to contact us.
for your friend 
