Lumbar puncture in infants and young children.

Lumbar puncture is an important diagnostic procedure in infants and young children, particularly to rule out acute meningitis. Special problems are presented to the physician with respect to technique and interpretation in this age group. This paper discusses lumbar puncture in infants and young children with attention given to certain procedural details (including the use of the Butterfly Infusion Set) and to significant differences in interpretation of findings in the cerebrospinal fluid in the newborn.