Symptoms of meningitis can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. In the early stages, there may not be a rash, or the rash may fade when pressure is applied.

You should get medical help immediately if you're concerned about yourself or your child.

Trust your instincts and do not wait for all the symptoms to appear or until a rash develops.

Symptoms of meningitis and sepsis include:

a high temperature
cold hands and feet
vomiting
confusion
breathing quickly
muscle and joint pain
pale, mottled or blotchy skin (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
spots or a rash (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
headache
a stiff neck
a dislike of bright lights
being very sleepy or difficult to wake
fits (seizures)
Babies may also:

refuse feeds
be irritable
have a high-pitched cry
have a stiff body or be floppy or unresponsive
have a bulging soft spot on the top of their head
Someone with meningitis or sepsis can get a lot worse very quickly.

Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E immediately if you think you or someone you look after could have meningitis or sepsis.

Call NHS 111 for advice if you're not sure if it's anything serious.

If you’ve had medical advice and are still worried or any symptoms get worse, get medical help again.

Meningitis rash
Red, spotty meningitis rash on a child's legs and feet. Shown on white skin.
The rash usually starts as small, red pinpricks before spreading quickly and turning into red or purple blotches.
Credit:
Mediscan / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/meningococcal-rash-image1683649.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=83D4AFC7-AC4B-4271-B09C-727E90532943&p=17774&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dATB0C2%26qt_raw%3dATB0C2%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d788068%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

Meningitis rash on white skin with a glass held against it.
It does not fade if you press the side of a clear glass firmly against the skin.
Credit:
Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/testing-of-meningococcal-rash-image589611.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=6C8D2A33-C874-43AF-A58B-398C0D9552AF&p=17774&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dA8FF2B%26qt_raw%3dA8FF2B%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d195878%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

Blotchy meningitis rash on the leg and foot of a child. Shown on black skin.
The rash can be harder to see on brown or black skin. Check paler areas, such as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, roof of the mouth, tummy, whites of the eyes or the inside of the eyelids.
Credit:
Meningitis Research UK https://hscic365.sharepoint.com/sites/Pilot/NHSUK/Health%20AZ/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FPilot%2FNHSUK%2FHealth%20AZ%2FHealth%20A%2DZ%2FA%2DZ%20content%20audit%2FM%2FMeningitis%2FImage%20and%20section%20review%2007%202019%2FRe%5FPhotography%20of%20the%20meningitis%20rash%2Eeml&parent=%2Fsites%2FPilot%2FNHSUK%2FHealth%20AZ%2FHealth%20A%2DZ%2FA%2DZ%20content%20audit%2FM%2FMeningitis%2FImage%20and%20section%20review%2007%202019

If a rash does not fade under a glass, it can be a sign of sepsis (sometimes called septicaemia or blood poisoning) caused by meningitis and you should call 999 straight away.

 

Symptoms of Sepsis

Sepsis is life threatening. It can be hard to spot.

There are lots of possible symptoms. They can be like symptoms of other conditions, including flu or a chest infection.

If you think you or someone you look after has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E. Trust your instincts.

Immediate action required:Call 999 or go to A&E if:
A baby or young child has any of these symptoms of sepsis:

blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast
a weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry
not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
being sleepier than normal or difficult to wake
They may not have all these symptoms.

Find your nearest A&E
Immediate action required:Call 999 or go to A&E if:
An adult or older child has any of these symptoms of sepsis:

acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast
They may not have all these symptoms.

Find your nearest A&E
Information:
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

Urgent advice:Call 111 now if:
You, your child or someone you look after:

feels very unwell or like there's something seriously wrong
has not had a pee all day (for adults and older children) or in the last 12 hours (for babies and young children)
keeps vomiting and cannot keep any food or milk down (for babies and young children)
has swelling or pain around a cut or wound
has a very high or low temperature, feels hot or cold to the touch, or is shivering
Do not worry if you're not sure if it's sepsis – it's still best to call 111.

They can tell you what to do, arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor, or call you an ambulance.

Sepsis can be especially hard to spot in:
babies and young children
people with dementia
people with a learning disability
people who have difficulty communicating
How to spot symptoms of sepsis in children aged under 5
This video shows how to check for the symptoms of sepsis in young children.

TranscriptTranscript
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Media last reviewed: 7 June 2024
Media review due: 7 June 2027
Information:
More information
Further information on sepsis for people with a learning disability and their carers:

NHS England: easy read information about sepsis for people with a learning disability
YouTube: NHS Sherwood Forest Hospitals video about sepsis for people with a learning disability
YouTube: NHS Sherwood Forest Hospitals video about sepsis for families and carers of people with a learning disability
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection.

It happens when your immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs.

You cannot catch sepsis from another person.