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• Children and Appendicitis|
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The children and appendicitis

Until now, the small tube attached to the colon, the appendix, proved itself not to have another role inside the human body, besides that of causing problems in case of inflammation, due to a small quantity of faeces or food, that generates blockage ,swelling and, eventually, pain.

The symptoms of appendicitis are of common knowledge for the parents which have a tendency to worry in case of the smallest attack of pain presented by their child in the lower right abdominal region ignoring the absence of other signs. Misjudging the symptoms and characteristics of that affection may drive to confusion or put off the discovery of a genuine case.

In case of suspicion that the child may possibly have appendicitis which is considered a medical emergency he or she should immediately be examined by a specialist.

Appendicitis classic symptoms

Most of the cases one or more of the following symptoms suggest a possible problem of the appendix:

Abdominal pain starting from the navel zone and spreading over the lower right portion

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Low appetite
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Incapacity to release gas
• Abdominal swelling
• These symptoms may be followed by low fever.

A viral infection of the stomach may produce the same symptoms as appendicitis and the difference is made by the order in which they appear. In case of appendicitis, the first present sign is in most situations abdominal pain.

In many cases the first painful body portion is the periumbilical area, from which the pain descends to the lower right zone - known as McBurney's point – and becomes worse.

Small children with appendicitis represent particular situations, because their symptoms are usually untypical which might generate diagnosis errors. Their parents should worry in case of vomiting or the refusal to walk invoking hip problems.

When inflamed, the appendix is predisposed to bursting or perforation producing complication as a significant increase of fever and sickness, unless it is treated in time.