Symptoms of appendicitis in children

If your baby has a tummy ache, you should not exclude appendicitis from the list of possible causes. You need to come for a consultation with a doctor as soon as possible so that he can already accurately confirm your fears or refute them. In most cases, it is children who suffer from acute appendicitis.

Signs of appendicitis in children

A six-centimeter outgrowth in the cecum, when inflamed, causes appendicitis. The primary signs of this condition in young children are similar to those of other illnesses:

• At first, the child complains of weak abdominal pain... The pain is localized just above the navel. Then the painful sensations intensify, and the source of pain is mixed down the abdomen and to the right.
• The child's general state of health also worsens over time: he becomes lethargic and weak, the temperature rises. Nausea, maybe even vomiting, is connected to these symptoms. The attacks of nausea are repeated several times. The child may become hysterical, start be capricious and refuse food.
• Please note that the temperature does not rise in every case. This is not the main symptom of appendicitis.

If you notice symptoms similar to signs of appendicitis, then lay the child and carefully examine him, feel the stomach. Press down several times with your fingers where the child is feeling pain. You will probably be able to feel a little tightness. If you quickly remove the palm from the area of ​​pain localization, after applying pressure, the pain intensifies. Coughing or laughing will also make the pain worse. All this indicates a possible appendicitis. You should immediately call an ambulance so that the specialists can provide timely assistance to the baby.

In the case of appendicitis, delay is especially dangerous. When the blind process is ruptured, severe peritonitis will begin - the contents of the intestine, along with pus, will spill into the peritoneal cavity. Therefore, it is better to play it safe a little than to regret your inaction later.

Causes of appendicitis in children

Why does the process of the rectum suddenly become inflamed? There may be several reasons for this. In the overwhelming majority, stool masses provide clogging of the cecum. But sometimes this happens for other reasons - the presence of worms in the child, infections of various kinds. The blockage of the blind appendix can occur due to a previous abdominal trauma or due to a genetic predisposition.

In this case, deposits and intestinal blockages form near the appendix. This increases the pressure, disrupts normal blood flow and the process becomes inflamed. With a bacterial or viral infection, the lymph nodes swell, thereby increasing the pressure on the area of ​​the blind process and provoking its clogging. Less often, appendicitis occurs due to a genetic predisposition, but, nevertheless, such cases also happen.

Treatment of appendicitis

If an inflammation of the appendix is ​​suspected, the child is immediately referred to the hospital. But do not be afraid that they will immediately begin to operate on him. It will take some time to collect tests and monitor the development of the disease. Only after making sure that the diagnosis is correct will the child be taken to the operating room.

Treatment of acute appendicitis is always only operative. Nuances can only be in the way the operation is performed: in the traditional way or endoscopically.

If the traditional method of performing the operation is chosen, the surgeon makes an incision over the affected area. Then the appendix is ​​examined and removed, followed by suturing the hole in the intestine.

The endoscopic method assumes a less traumatic operation. Small incisions are made through which a miniature camera and instruments are inserted. Through them, the inflamed process is also removed. In this case, the incisions are very small and recovery from surgery will be very short-lived.

When appendicitis ruptures, the child must be prescribed a course of intravenous antibiotics to help the body cope with the infection. In this case, the recovery period will take a longer time.

Diet after appendicitis

After successful removal of the inflamed blind process, the child will have to follow a certain diet for some time. At this time, he is allowed to eat porridge, especially buckwheat, oatmeal or rice. It is very useful to consume liquid food during this period - light vegetable soups or broths or puree soups. To prepare the puree soup, you can use a blender or chop the boiled vegetables by hand, gradually adding broth to the resulting puree.

Lean meat or sea fish, boiled or steamed, are suitable for the second course. As a side dish, you can use cereals, vegetables or pasta. But it is better to refuse potatoes during the recovery diet.

From fruits and berries, it is allowed to use pomegranate, citrus fruits, raspberries, peaches and strawberries. Dairy products are also allowed. It can be yoghurts, kefir or low-fat cottage cheese.

From drinks, give your child plain water, green tea, fruit jelly or rosehip decoction. Lovers of sweets can use a little jelly, marshmallow or honey.

But it is better to refuse fried, flour, spicy, salty and other delicacies so as not to provoke complications. In this case, the child must eat in small portions, but often - up to 6 times a day.