Causes
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. We don’t know what causes it. One theory is that if food or poo gets stuck in the appendix, it can cause a blockage, which can then get infected with bacteria.
We also don’t really know why we have an appendix. It plays no role in digestion. It might just be a body part left over from human evolution.
Symptoms
Appendicitis occurs more often in older children and children in the early years of adolescence.
The primary symptom is pain in the tummy. This pain usually starts in the middle of your child’s belly and might feel like a dull cramp. Over the next few hours, the pain becomes sharper. Sometimes the the pain can shift from being all over the tummy to the lower right side of the belly, over the appendix.
Your child might be more uncomfortable when he’s trying to sit upright or walk straight. The pain will often get worse when he moves. Your child might also have fever, vomiting, and/or loose poo.
Appendicitis can be more difficult to diagnose in children than in adolescents or adults because the symptoms aren’t as clear.
When to see your doctor
There’s always a risk of the inflamed appendix ‘perforating’ and releasing pus into the abdomen. This isn’t very common, but can be life-threatening.
If your child is extremely unwell and even a small amount of movement causes pain, take her directly to a hospital.
Tests
Your doctor might ask your child to do a urine test to rule out a urinary tract infection, which can look a lot like appendicitis. Your child might also need a blood test to see whether there’s evidence of inflammation somewhere in his body.
If your doctor suspects acute appendicitis, you might be advised to take your child to hospital immediately, before requesting any tests.
Treatment
Surgery to remove the inflamed appendix is the only treatment for appendicitis.
As noted above, the appendix doesn’t seem to have a function in food digestion or absorption. If it’s taken out, your child won’t miss it.
|
