Parents often become anxious when their children get diagnosed with Appendicitis. Appendicitis is a condition when the Appendix becomes inflamed. The Appendix is a small tubular organ attached to the large intestine. This organ is placed at the lower right side of the abdomen.
Is Appendicitis Common?
Yes, appendicitis is a common cause of abdominal pain. Appendicitis can occur at any age, and mostly the teens are affected with inflammation in the Appendix.
Cause of Appendicitis
Till date, it is hard to find the exact reason for Appendicitis. Inflammation in the Appendix may occur due to specific reasons that are not entirely clear until now. Well, still, some causes for Appendicitis are mentioned below:
- Injury to the abdomen
- Obstruction (mainly due to stool particles) at the opening where the Appendix is connected to the large intestine.
- Infection in the digestive tract.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Some excess growth is in the Appendix.
Symptoms of Appendicitis
Every parent needs to know the symptoms that their kids can show if they suffer from Appendicitis. They can present with abdominal pain, swollen belly, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite and fever.
How to Diagnose?
Doctors will use the following diagnostic process to understand your kids’ situation.
- Doctors will conduct a physical examination by applying gentle pressure on the abdomen.
- The doctors may opt for a blood test, which will reveal the infection. Sometimes a urine test may also need to be done.
- An ultrasound will mostly reveal the condition but sometimes an CT scan may also be needed. An Xray of the abdomen may be done reveal other conditions.
Treatment for Appendicitis
Appendicitis treatment usually involves surgery to remove the inflamed appendix. Before the surgery the child may be given a dose of antibiotics to treat infection. If your child has appendicitis, appendix will usually need to be removed as soon as possible. This operation is known as an appendicectomy or appendectomy and is usually done laparoscopically. Surgery is often also recommended if there’s a chance that your child has appendicitis but it’s not been possible to make a clear diagnosis.
Conclusion :
If your child is suffering from Appendicitis or any other Pediatric Surgical problem, contact Dr. Vishesh Dikshit for a consultation.