Appendicitis refers to the inflammation of the appendix, which is caused by a clogged hole and bacteria multiplying in it. The disease has serious consequences, up to a lethal outcome, so knowing the signs of appendicitis in children will be beneficial to every mother.
Initial signs of appendicitis
Scalp development - appendix - can become inflamed due to various causes: decreased immunity, infection due to frequent colds. The possible cause of the appearance of signs of appendicitis in children is eating food with seeds or bones. These parts of the food in the form of stool stones accumulate inside the appendix, leading to its inflammation.
Understand that in children the inflammation of the appendix is possible by the way they behave:
- say or show that they have a stomach ache on the right near the navel;
- the baby becomes sluggish, weak, the temperature rises;
- may cause nausea, vomiting;
- children refuse to eat;
- the skin becomes gray;
- there are problems with the stool, diarrhea may appear or in the feces you will find traces of mucus;
- of children begins to torment thirst;
- touches the stomach pain.
How the child has a stomach ache with appendicitis
The main signs of appendicitis in children are pain. Older children can describe them as sharp, strong, located in the navel area. After some time, the defeat goes to the lower right side. Children who can not yet describe the condition, show that the whole stomach hurts. When the parent touches the abdomen, the kids can begin to cry or cry out loud.
If at first the pain is dull, weak and aching, then with the development of the disease it grows and intensifies. Then, to convince yourself that this is an inflammation of the appendix, and not harmless colic in the intestine, gently probe the lower abdomen to the right. If you find a small seal in the navel, ask the baby if it hurts, and ask him to describe the sensations.
When the kid says that he is ill, ask him to laugh or cough. In case of increased pain, immediately call an ambulance for hospitalization - this will be a suspicion of acute appendicitis. With untimely medical intervention, the appendix can burst, then blood infection or inflammation of neighboring internal organs will begin. Such consequences will be of the most serious nature, even to the point of death.
How to identify appendicitis
The first signs of appendicitis in children are manifested in complaints about health. The kid experiences a slight pain at first, as he tells his parents, but they can ignore it. A few days later, the suffering becomes worse, the child becomes sluggish, refuses to eat, often lies. Little children, who can not talk yet, will constantly cry, be capricious, lie on their left side to ease the condition. When squatting, the pain will increase, the same will occur when the load on the right side.
Symptoms of appendicitis in children under 3 years of age
Appendicitis can develop in a child of any age, but up to 2 years, this ailment can be rare. Children at 3 years of developing inflammation of the caecum will refuse food and play, experience problems with sleep and activity. Who does not know how to talk, will show that the whole stomach hurts, to transfer the weight of the body to the left side. Playing, the kid will pull his right foot to the body for taking a more comfortable position.
In children 5 years old
Age 3-6 years is considered widespread when an inflammation of the appendix occurs. Adult babies can already say that they have a lower abdomen and show a place. They will be sluggish, weak, they can be pulled out. Elevated temperature does not always accompany the disease, but it can not be excluded from the symptoms. The following signs are revealed:
- problems with stool;
- skin color change to gray;
- strong thirst.
Signs of appendicitis in a school-age child
A schoolboy already clearly shows not only the place of pain, but also can describe it in words. In the beginning, she will be aching stupid. Then the pain with appendicitis grows with the development of symptoms in a strong acute. The first days of manifestation a schoolboy is able to ignore her or write off her for stomach upset due to eaten food. The growing character of the symptom will make him complain to his parents. Also from the signs:
- the temperature rises;
- manifests vomiting;
- is characterized by pain on the right.
In adolescents
Signs of appendicitis in adolescents are similar to manifestations of illness in young children. The main difference in the development of inflammation is its progressive nature. The first pain may appear in the morning, and already at lunchtime - develop the strongest acute inflammation, requiring urgent medical intervention. Complaints arise from pain on the right, fever, weakness. The skin becomes gray or cyanotic.
What to do if symptoms of acute appendicitis are identified
Acute appendicitis requires immediate medical attention for subsequent hospitalization and surgery. One can not hesitate with the disease, otherwise it will develop to purulent peritonitis, in which the contents of the appendix will fall into the abdominal cavity. This is a very dangerous condition, so your task will be only to ease the condition of the baby before the arrival of an ambulance:
- If you suspect, you can not put a heating pad on your stomach. It is better to put the baby on the left side or back to minimize pain, apply cold.
- Measure pressure, temperature, pulse to report data to physicians.
- Before medical care, give the victim plenty of drinking to minimize the effects of severe dehydration.
- If the pains are too strong, give 1 tablet of anesthetic medication, but not more so as not to provoke the rapid development of the disease.
Bringing the patient to the hospital, the surgeon will perform a diagnosis, check his condition for an abscess, take the necessary blood tests, and perform the operation. The method of treatment of the disease - operational, takes 20 minutes of time under general anesthesia and a week for recovery. There are 2 types of operation:
- Traditional appendectomy - with her cut the stomach on the right, remove the appendix.
- Laparoscopic appendectomy - the abdomen is not cut with her, and the outgrowth is removed with the help of thin blades. Features of this type of operation are low blood loss, absence of chronic complications.
Both methods are successfully used by surgeons, they have application depending on the nature of the course of the disease. For acute appendicitis a classical operation is suitable, but for preventive detection of the disease laparoscopy is used. It is able to identify the initial stage of inflammation and remove the appendix without the consequences and development of complications.