Diagnostics of a serous meningitis

[Montana]

Hello.

Have got with the child (boy) in hospital with diagnosis EVI, suspicion on a meningitis (in Minsk, in DIB lay only with enterovirusnoj an infection and a serous meningitis).
Doctors have taken the analysis of a blood, smears from a nasopharynx. Now speak - the lumbar puncture is necessary. To the child 2 years and 10 months. Tell or say, please - whether this procedure is necessary? What consequences of such intervention can be? I prochel, that she am used for differentiation of serous and purulent meningitises. Whether we can refuse this procedure or it is not necessary?

Thanks.

[Medtsentr]

Besides the diagnostic purpose for carrying out dif.diagnoza between a purulent and serous meningitis (do or make clinical microscopical research, consider or count quantity or amount of cells in a liquor, define or determine biochemical parameters and do or make crop with the purpose to allocate the originator) - the puncture wears also medical function - thus intracranial pressure decreases. Depending on the received results appoint or nominate different treatment.