Appendicitis in children is a common disease. It is produced by inflammation of the appendix, the small tubular structure that is attached to the colon. inflammation of the appendix It is one of the most frequent causes of emergency abdominal surgery in children and adolescents..
It can occur in children and adolescents of all ages, although cases in which it affects children under the age of 2 are rare. The most common symptoms vary according to the age of the patientbut any doctor can give an accurate diagnosis and make a decision to perform the necessary surgery.
Why does appendicitis occur?
The appendix can become blocked for several reasons:
- Presence of parasites.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes of the intestine.
- Presence of a mass of hard, dry fecal matter, which is called fecalite.
When the appendix becomes blocked, it becomes inflamed and the first symptom appears: pain. At that time, the bacteria in the stool reproduces in it at an accelerated rate. The appendix becomes infected and, if it is not removed in time, it can breakwith which, seriously compromises the health, even the life, of the child.
Main symptoms of appendicitis in children
Because the appendix varies in size and location from person to person, Appendicitis in children sometimes has different and variable symptoms. Also, since these are fairly common symptoms, they can be associated with other ailments, from simple indigestion to something more complex.
Not all of these symptoms occur all the time. For this reason, as soon as a combination of these discomforts appears, you should consult a doctorbecause it is he who has the experience to diagnose appendicitis in children.
Between 24 and 72 hours after the onset of symptoms, the appendix can rupture, so appendicitis needs to be taken very seriously.
Most common symptoms of appendicitis in children
Next, we will talk about the most common symptoms of appendicitis in children.
1. Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom, as pointed out by this study published in Chilean Journal of Pediatrics. The pain is localized around the navel and then migrates to the lower right area of the belly.
Worse with light pressure, deep breathing, or movement. there might as well be stiff abdominal muscles or pain when having a bowel movement or urinating.
2. Vomiting and loss of appetite
Dizziness, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite often join when there is appendicitis.followed by fever, as evidenced by this work published in Mexican Journal of Pediatric Surgery. Since they are symptoms common to other diseases, being associated with localized pain, they may be related to appendicitis in children.
3. Fever
In the first hours of the evolution of the disease, fever may appear, especially in children, although it is not common. may appear a high fever when the inflammation is advanced and the appendix has rupturedas shown by this information from the doctors Anna Moreno, Adolfo García and Claudia Marhuenda, with which the fecal material passes into the abdomen.
Less frequent symptoms of appendicitis in children
As for the less frequent symptoms of appendicitis in children, the following can be given.
4. Diarrhea orconstipation
Diarrhea and constipation are not frequent symptoms, but they can occur, as published in this article emergencies. Diarrhea is not the usual heavy, liquid bowel movements: it is in small quantities and has mucus. AS, constipation is not typical, but can be part of the picture.
5. Swelling
Especially a swollen or distended abdomen it occurs in the rare instances where a child’s appendix becomes inflamed or in young children.
What are the symptoms according to age?
When the appendix is inflamed in children aged 5 to 12 and adolescents, symptoms are usually the same as in adults: Abdominal pain, vomiting and loss of appetite.
- Appendicitis in children under one year of age is very rare.. The main symptom is abdominal distension. Secondly, vomiting and lack of appetite occur. It is difficult to determine if there is pain, as the child cannot signal it. Because the appendix tube is so small, blockages and inflammation are unlikely to occur.
- In children between the ages of 1 and 5, appendicitis is uncommon. When it happens, the main symptoms are crying and irritability, pain, fever and vomiting. It also highlights that when the abdomen is pressed, during decompression, the child complains of intense pain.
- In children between the ages of 5 and 12, there may not be the typical migration of pain from the center of the abdomen to the lower right side. Some children have a fever and a few have diarrhea.
The solution: go to the doctor
Appendicitis is treated only by removing the appendix through surgery. (appendectomy). The appendectomy is a regular procedure and after two or three days of hospitalization, the little one will go home. There is no home treatment or natural remedy to treat or reduce inflammation of the appendix.
If the infected appendix isn’t removed, it can rupture and spread bacteria. The infection caused by a ruptured appendix is very seriousas it can form an abscess (a pus infection) or spread throughout the abdomen, which is called peritonitis.
It is rare for a doctor to be unable to make an accurate diagnosis of appendicitis in children, unless there is an abnormal pattern of pain, or in those cases where the child cannot describe the symptoms well.
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