Children's diseases always cause trouble for parents. Especially pathologies like appendicitis. After all, despite the fact that this disease is known to almost everyone, some of its symptoms can be misleading. For example, if a baby complains of abdominal pain and nausea, it is often associated with poisoning and is in no hurry to seek help. Therefore, it is very important for each parent to know the symptoms of appendicitis in children 6-7 years old. At an early age, it is almost impossible to understand what exactly worries the baby. But when the child becomes conscious and independently answers the questions, parents should know how to check the symptoms of this disease. This will help in time to navigate in case of development of pathology and consult a doctor.
What is appendicitis in children?
Appendicitis is one of the most common surgical diseases found in childhood. Most often, he appears from 5 years and older. This is associated with a change in the nature of the baby's nutrition. The most common appendicitis in a child is 7 years old. Symptoms of this pathology may disguise themselves as signs of other diseases. Among them are gastritis, cholecystitis, food poisoning, etc.
By appendicitis is meant inflammation of a part of the cecum - the appendix. It is located in the hypogastric region on the right side. Nevertheless, his soreness is rarely the first sign with which appendicitis begins in a 7-year-old child. Symptoms of pathology develop gradually. Therefore, it is necessary to know the correct sequence of the clinical picture.
In addition, the manifestations of this pathology in children may vary. It depends on the individual anatomical features. Despite the fact that in most cases the appendix is located in the right iliac region, it can also have a different localization. Because of this, the signs characterizing appendicitis also differ. Symptoms in children 7 years old are similar to the clinical picture that develops in adults. However, there are some differences.
Causes and development of appendicitis
Despite the fact that appendicitis is a widespread disease, the causes of its development are not fully known. It is believed that under the influence of provoking factors, there is a stretching and gradual traumatization of the appendix. This leads to the fact that bacterial or viral inflammation develops in the inner surface of the organ. In rare cases, it is chronic. More often, the inflammatory reaction progresses rapidly, leading to purulent and necrotic lesions of the appendix.
The main factor leading to the development of the disease is malnutrition. In most cases, it is it that provokes appendicitis in children. Symptoms A 5-7 year old child can already clearly explain, and parents should react properly. Typically, the disease manifests itself in babies who eat seeds or nuts with husks, crackers, chips and fast food. The development of this surgical pathology can be rapid or last for several days. On average, pronounced clinical manifestations occur after about 5-10 hours from the onset of the inflammatory process.
The starting stage of the disease is the introduction of infectious agents into the lumen of the appendix. They can get there from the cecum, which communicates with the appendix. After this, the lymphoid tissue of the appendix is associated with microbes. This triggers the inflammatory process. As a result, appendicitis develops in a 7-year-old child. Symptoms of the pathology depend on the nature of the inflammation (serous, purulent, necrotic). According to these criteria, the disease is divided into stages and severity.
Appendicitis in children: symptoms (5-7 years)
5-7 years is an age in which children can explain what and where it hurts. The first sign of the disease is the child's refusal to eat. Loss of appetite occurs even before the onset of pain. After this, nausea joins. Despite this, vomiting is not always observed. In some cases, it occurs 1-2 times. Regardless of the location of the appendix, pain is first observed in the upper abdomen (epigastrium). Therefore, parents often think that the baby has developed gastritis, and not appendicitis.
Symptoms in children of 7 years can be confused with exacerbation of cholecystitis. Especially if this disease has already been observed in a child before. After only a few hours, the pain moves down the abdomen. With the "classic" location of the appendix, it occurs in the right iliac region. If it is located elsewhere, pain can be observed in the groin, on the left or in the lower back. It has a cramping nature and grows with time. An increase in temperature is also observed, in some cases - a violation of the stool (constipation or diarrhea).
Appendicitis: symptoms in children 7 years old - white blood cells and other indicators
An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor. Since appendicitis refers to surgical pathologies, if a child is suspected of having this disease, they must be hospitalized. To diagnose inflammation of the appendix, laboratory tests of blood and urine are performed. If an increase in the level of leukocytes is observed in the KLA, the doctor confirms the diagnosis of appendicitis in a 7-year-old child . Symptoms are already pronounced.
High leukocytosis indicates purulent inflammation. Also, this indicator is observed in the general analysis of urine. In rare cases, instrumental diagnostics are performed. An abdominal ultrasound or x-ray contrast study is referred to it. This is only necessary with an unspecified diagnosis, when the doctor is not sure that it is the vermiform appendix that is inflamed. Nevertheless, the child is still hospitalized, and his condition is monitored for a day.
Stages of appendicitis in children
The stage of appendicitis can be detected only after a morphological study, that is, during the operation. Initially, catarrhal inflammation of the appendix occurs. It corresponds to the initial stage of the pathology. In this case, the pain is slightly expressed, the temperature is less than 37.5 ° C. In the blood test, there is a slight leukocytosis (10-11 * 10⁹).
The next stage is a purulent inflammation of the appendix. It manifests itself in a detailed clinical picture: cramping pains in the iliac region, an increase in body temperature to 38.0 ° C. Most often, the disease is diagnosed at this stage. In the absence of surgical treatment at this stage, phlegmonous inflammation occurs. It is characterized by a deterioration in the condition of the child. The appendix is completely covered with pus. The final stage is gangrenous appendicitis. It is dangerous to rupture of the appendix and the transition of inflammation to the peritoneum - peritonitis.
What symptoms can be checked at home?
In most cases, you can check the symptoms of appendicitis in children 7 years old at home. To do this, lay the baby on his back and bend his knees. If there is pain when pressing on the right iliac region and releasing the thumb, then appendicitis has already passed to the 2nd or 3rd stage. In this way, the Shchetkin-Blumberg symptom is checked. In addition, you can press your fingers on the left iliac region, while the pain will be observed on the right. So the symptom of Rowzing is checked. If these signs are positive, you should immediately call an ambulance.
How to treat appendicitis in children?
The only way to cure acute appendicitis is through surgery. It can be performed by the open method or laparoscopically. The inflamed appendix is removed, and its stump is sutured to the cecum. Remember that untimely started treatment can lead to the development of peritonitis.
Doctor Komarovsky's advice for appendicitis
In order to prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to diagnose appendicitis in time. Symptoms in children of 7 years old Dr. Komarovsky notes the following: a change in stool, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal pain. At the same time, he advises parents not to give the child any drugs and not to apply cold (a wet towel) to the iliac region. These measures will only “erase” the clinical picture, while inflammation will progress.