When Meningitis Hits Close to Home

There are certain headlines that stop you in your tracks, and the recent meningitis scare affecting students in Kent is one of them.

As a parent of a university student, it’s the kind of news that lands differently. You immediately picture late nights, shared kitchens, the general chaos of student life… and how quickly something serious can be missed or brushed off as “just a bug.” It’s frightening, and a sharp reminder that even in 2026, meningitis hasn’t gone anywhere.

For me, it also hits on a much more personal level.

I had meningitis B when I was just two years old. What started as something that looked like flu was initially dismissed by a locum GP as German Measles. Thankfully, my parents trusted their instincts and called again, and the doctor who came round to our home worked at Great Ormond Street hospital and recognised the symptoms. I was rushed to Paddington Green Children’s Hospital where I was whisked away for a lumber puncture and my parents were told I had meningitis B. The next 48 hours were spent not knowing if I would live or die, and I spent the following two weeks seriously ill.

It’s one of those stories that lives in family folklore, retold with a mix of gratitude and disbelief. And while I don’t remember it, I carry a small, permanent reminder. A brown mark on one of my front teeth, caused by the strength of the antibiotics that ultimately saved my life. Dentists have offered to fix it over the years, but I’ve never wanted to. To me, it’s not a flaw, it’s a badge of survival.

Which is why stories like the one in Kent feel so visceral. Because meningitis moves fast. And because early symptoms can look deceptively mild.

Meningitis symptoms can appear suddenly and worsen quickly. Keep an eye out for:

In students and young adults, it can easily be mistaken for flu, a hangover or exhaustion. That’s what makes it so dangerous.

What to do if you’re worried

If something doesn’t feel right, trust that instinct.

Don’t wait. Seek medical help immediately or go straight to A&E. It’s always better to be overly cautious than to miss the window for early treatment.

Stories like this are a sobering reminder that, no matter how grown up our children are, we never really stop worrying. And sometimes, that worry is there for a reason.