Unfortunately, there is a misconception among most people that appendicitis is an “adult” disease. The opinion is due to general ideas about this small vermiform appendix of the intestine. For some reason, many people think that inflammation occurs only when this small “part” is very full after a certain number of years, for example, when excessive digestible particles of food (seeds, pork skin, etc.) are consumed excessively. But not always all this is interconnected. It turns out that appendicitis can also occur in a child. Symptoms in young patients are somewhat misleading and can be misleading even to experienced doctors. How to determine the exact cause of abdominal pain? How dangerous is a belated surgical decision? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.
Appendicitis in a child: symptoms are often misleading
Especially this problem is often encountered by parents of young children. Often, they exclude the fact that appendicitis in a child can become inflamed . Symptoms and abdominal pain that appear in babies, adults take for the manifestations of other diseases. Complaints of nausea can be, for example, with food poisoning, overeating, bloating, increased gas formation in the intestine. Diagnosis of acute appendicitis is greatly simplified with a full examination of the baby. If there is a suspicion of appendicitis, a fence of tests is always done to determine the inflammatory process in the body. But the most accurate diagnosis can be made only after an ultrasound scan. After all, every tenth child entering the emergency room complaining of abdominal pain really shows appendicitis. The rest reveal other reasons. Vomiting and severe pain in the form of pain in the right lower abdomen do not always signal that the appendicitis in the child has exacerbated. Symptoms of this particular disease can still be distinguished from the manifestations of other problems with the digestive system. If the baby has several of the following complaints at the same time, it’s worth the alarm and urgently need to see a doctor.
Symptoms requiring urgent care:
- constant pain in the lower right abdomen lasting more than 12 hours;
- nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, the appearance of diarrhea;
- colic during sudden movements (driving in a car, coughing, walking over bumps);
- during palpation of the abdomen, special sensitivity and pain after pressing and "letting go" of the affected area.
Unpleasant consequences of when appendicitis removal is done late
Unfortunately, almost half of the children experience a rupture of the appendix in connection with an inaccurate diagnosis and, as a result, with not entirely timely intervention. This greatly complicates the operation itself and the subsequent rehabilitation period. Therefore, for any abdominal pain in a child, especially the younger (preschool) age, consult a doctor to determine the cause of complaints in a timely manner and avoid unforeseen situations. Protect children's health!