Appendicitis is called acute inflammation of the appendix of a special appendix in the cecum. This disease is very dangerous and requires immediate surgical intervention. One of the most common complications of appendicitis, peritonitis, often leads to the death of the patient. Having found typical signs of appendicitis in children, urgently call an ambulance and wait for the doctor to arrive. Before the emergence of the ambulance team, do not give your child any pain medication, as well as water or food. This can cause additional complications, and also prevent the doctor from making the correct diagnosis.
Signs of appendicitis in children differ from signs of appendicitis in adults. Inflammation of the appendix in children is more difficult, and the diagnosis is much more complicated. In children under three years of age, this disease is quite rare, but at this age the child cannot clearly determine the localization of pain, which seriously complicates the diagnosis. In children, appendicitis is faster, causing dangerous complications. If your little baby is crying, trying to take a fixed position on his right side, presses his knees to his stomach, does not allow touching a sore spot, urgently call a doctor. Very often, this behavior of the baby indicates the appearance of a serious illness.
How to understand that your child has acute appendicitis? Symptoms in children are quite pronounced: they complain of aching pain in the lower right abdomen, nausea, vomiting appears, and body temperature rises. As a rule, at first the pain is felt in the navel, then passes to the whole stomach as a whole, and only after a few hours it moves to the lower right part - the location of the appendix. Sometimes this pain suddenly stops, but such a case should not be prematurely rejoiced. The cessation of pain may be due to rupture of the inflamed intestinal wall.
Not always the above signs indicate appendicitis in children. Symptoms of diseases such as hepatitis, pneumonia, enterocolitis, as well as symptoms of diseases of the genitourinary system or the appearance of an intestinal infection can coincide with signs of appendicitis. The doctor can make an accurate diagnosis only after an examination in the hospital.
What to do if you notice similar signs of appendicitis in children?
First, do not hesitate to call an ambulance.
Secondly, put the child to bed, put an ice bubble to the right side. In no case should you apply a warm heating pad to the child’s stomach, this can cause additional complications, lead to rupture of the appendix and the development of peritonitis.
Thirdly, do not let the baby eat and drink, do not try to remove his pain with any drugs. Especially dangerous with appendicitis are laxatives that provoke a rupture of the inflamed process.
If the symptoms of appendicitis you notice in children are confirmed, the child will be immediately hospitalized. The patient is removed from the inflamed appendix, usually under local anesthesia. If there is no rupture of the appendix, make a small incision on the right side, the duration of the entire operation is about 40 minutes. After removal of the appendix, sutures are applied to the wound.
In some hospitals, doctors use the method of endoscopic removal of the appendix. In this case, an incision is not made on the skin, but only pierced in several places. This method allows the patient to recover after surgery in the shortest possible time.
If the child has no complications, he can return to his usual lifestyle one week after such surgery. 10-11 days after the operation, doctors will remove the stitches. This is easy and painless even in young children. Within two months after the removal of appendicitis, the child should do without any physical exertion.