The large intestine has attached a small sac known as the appendix. If blocked by feces or some other microorganism, it inflames and causes appendicitis, one of the leading causes of emergency surgery . This condition is generally most common in children between 8 and 11 and less common in children younger than four.
Many parents fear that any abdominal pain that their children present is the beginning of appendicitis since the main symptom of this pathology is precisely belly pain. Recognizing the symptoms of appendicitis in children and knowing where the pain is commonly located is necessary to act in time for this disease and avoid significant complications such as the rupture of the appendix. In this FastlyHealarticle, you will be able to know everything you need to know to recognize appendicitis in time.
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Symptoms of appendicitis in children
Appendicitis is a progressive disease. Therefore it takes time to manifest the most characteristic symptoms that confirm the diagnosis. Abdominal pain is generally the most obvious sign of an inflamed appendix, but it must be recognized and differentiated from any stomach cramps. The symptoms of appendicitis in children are:
- The abdominal pain usually begins around the navel and moves to the lower right part of the abdomen. The pain is more intense over time and worsens considerably when pressure is applied to the area when you breathe deeply and with movement, even worse when walking. Suppose a person has more than eight hours with this discomfort, and there is no improvement or response to analgesic treatment. It is necessary to take the child to the emergency room because it is most likely appendicitis.
- Loss of appetite a few hours after the pain appears.
- Low fever that does not exceed 39 degrees Celsius.
- Vomiting usually occurs after several hours of pain.
- A child with appendicitis does not want to run, play, or move.
- When the appendix bursts, the pain is continuous and intense throughout the abdominal region.
What to do when the child has symptoms of appendicitis?
If the abdominal pain is increasingly intense and the child has a fever, it is best to go to the emergency room immediately. Once at the medical center, the specialist will physically examine the child and request a computed tomography scan of the abdomen to corroborate the diagnosis. If it is appendicitis, the child will be hospitalized for an appendectomy, the total removal of the appendix.
Appendectomy is an operation that is performed under general anesthesia and is a relatively standard and straightforward procedure. This surgery can be carried out in two ways: openly, making a large incision in the abdomen to remove the appendix, or laparoscopically, using only a camera and small incisions (at least four).
Discharge is usually assigned 48 hours after surgery, and the child will be able to go home when he can eat and drink food without any discomfort. Appendectomy is also carried out when the appendix bursts; however, in these cases, the treatment is much more complicated since it is necessary to give antibiotics intravenously to treat the infection immediately; therefore, in these cases, it is the child. It is likely to spend at least three days in the hospital.
After surgery
It is essential that once at home, the parents ensure that the little one does not make any major effort to protect the wound therefore it is recommended:
- Do not swim for a month.
- Do not run or play sports for two weeks.
- Avoid lifting weights.
- Avoid swings
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Symptoms of appendicitis in children , we recommend that you enter our category of Digestive system .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.