Early meningitis symptoms may be similar to the flu. Symptoms may develop over several hours or over a few days. Possible symptoms in anyone older than the age of 2 years include: 
Sudden high fever.
Stiff neck.
Severe headache.
Nausea or vomiting.
Confusion or trouble concentrating.
Seizures.
Sleepiness or trouble waking.
Sensitivity to light.
No appetite or thirst.
Skin rash in some cases, such as in meningococcal meningitis.
 Signs in newborns Newborns and infants may show these signs: 
High fever.
Constant crying.
Being very sleepy or irritable.
Trouble waking from sleep.
Being inactive or sluggish.
Not waking to eat.
Poor feeding.
Vomiting.
A bulge in the soft spot on top of the baby's head.
Stiffness in the body and neck.
 Infants with meningitis may be hard to comfort. They may even cry harder when held.