My son had viral meningitis at fourteen weeks old.
Parker was born with pneumonia at 42 weeks, a whopping 9"11. After meningitis, I noticed massive changes in my baby, the quiet baby who slept through the night and hardly cried, was angry or in pain. Settling him became a full-time job.
Nearly six years later he is waiting to be assessed for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). He displays autistic traits, sensory processing disorder, social and emotional dysregulation, pica, sleep and concentration issues.
Parker's meningitis was viral, which thank God for research is now showing the effects of this on children. The stigma behind neurological disorders and "lazy mothers" is incomprehensible. If it wasn't for having an older child who doesn't have neurological issues a health visitor told me it would be seen as my bad parenting!
I am now a first-year learning disability nurse and I will specialise in neurological disorders. I want to raise awareness about the side effects and allow parents to be believed and give the people affected by meningitis a voice.
Veronica Oconnor