Characteristic

Young children are more prone to appendicitis (appendicitis) than adults. In young children, the most common cause of appendicitis is lymphoid tissue that swells and blocks the cavity of the appendix tract. Inflammation that is allowed to get worse can risk causing a child's appendix to burst, leading to a serious infection. So, what are the characteristics of appendicitis in children that parents need to watch out for? Come on, learn more about the symptoms of appendicitis in the following children.

General features of appendicitis in children

Launching the Everyday Health page, the symptoms of appendicitis in young children look distinctive and different from adults in general. However, children who are still very young usually find it difficult to express the complaints they feel.

Therefore, parents must be more observant in recognizing the changes that appear in the child's signs and body condition so that the child's disease can be treated immediately. The following are the characteristics of appendicitis that children usually feel, including:

1. Abdominal pain in the lower right (a characteristic feature of appendicitis in children)

Lower right abdominal pain is the most common symptom of appendicitis in adults, but it can also be felt in young children.

This pain arises as a result of the appendix cavity being blocked by lymphoid tissue or hardened feces. The blockage then becomes an area for bacteria to multiply and cause infection.

Immediately take it to the doctor if your little one has recently been complaining of pain near the navel and has spread to the lower right abdomen.

The characteristics of appendicitis in children aged 2 years or less, often in the form of a stomach that looks swollen and bloated, when you tap it lightly it feels soft.

2. Fever

Fever is the body's natural response to infection and inflammation and it can be a sign of appendicitis in children. Usually, the fever experienced by children due to appendicitis is not that high.

This appendicitis symptom is often accompanied by chills and even makes the child sweat a lot. This profuse sweating is the body's attempt to normalize core body temperature.

3. Loss of appetite, plus nausea and vomiting

In addition to fever, the characteristics of appendicitis in children that parents must pay attention to are nausea and vomiting.

Inflammation and infection of the appendix often causes children to lose their appetite. Sometimes the features of appendicitis in children are exacerbated by the sensation of nausea which ends with vomiting.

No appetite and nausea are subconscious reflexes of the body to avoid consuming any substances that can aggravate the body's condition while it is still sick.

Vomiting itself is actually an automatic reflex of the body to forcibly empty the bowels so that the blockage can be removed.

4. Diarrhea

Appendicitis infection in children can sometimes cause symptoms in the form of diarrhea.

The characteristics of appendicitis in this child tend to appear more frequently if the location of the inflammation is near the pelvic cavity, thus irritating the rectum. This is what makes children get diarrhea when they have appendicitis.

However, the volume of diarrhea caused by appendicitis is usually less than common diarrhea. The stool also tends to be soft (not completely liquid) and the frequency of defecating is more frequent.

On the other hand, some children may complain that they have difficulty defecating and passing gas.

5. Pain when urinating

Some children with appendicitis may complain of pain when urinating. However, the symptoms of appendicitis in this one child are often mistaken for symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI).

The characteristics of appendicitis in children can appear if the location of the inflammation of the appendix is ​​near the bladder.

An inflamed appendix can irritate the bladder, causing symptoms such as swelling, bloody urine, or white urine like milk. Even the child may find it difficult to urinate due to pain.

When to see a doctor

You can give your child paracetamol or ibuprofen as a first step to relieve fever and other symptoms of appendicitis.

However, doctor's help should still be given priority if you believe that these symptoms are a sign of appendicitis in children.

Don't delay taking your child to the doctor. Especially when you find your child complaining of abdominal pain which is immediately accompanied by vomiting, a fever that does not improve or gets higher, to a drastic decrease in appetite.

The doctor will ask various things related to the body condition and symptoms experienced by the child. Then proceed with a series of examinations to ensure there is inflammation of the appendix. For example, through ultrasound procedures (USG) of the stomach, to blood or urine tests to see the possibility of infection.

If the child has appendicitis and it is not diagnosed within 48 hours, the chances of the appendix rupture can be very high. Delaying treatment can further worsen the health of the child's body.

The characteristics of a ruptured appendix in a child

When a child's appendicitis is not treated properly, bacteria and pus will build up in their intestines. This buildup will put more pressure on the appendix and then cause the child's intestines to swell.

The swelling can eventually cut off the fresh blood supply to the appendix. As a result, the surrounding tissue and cells can die.

The dead intestinal wall will push bacteria and pus into the abdominal cavity. So, the contents of the ruptured appendix usually leak into the stomach; instead of bursting bursting like a balloon. Rupture of the appendix is ​​a medical emergency, which must be followed up by a doctor immediately.

Parents should immediately take the child to the nearest hospital emergency room if the symptoms they experience lead to a ruptured appendix.

Children usually find it difficult to describe the symptoms of the pain they feel, here are the characteristics of a ruptured appendix in children that you should immediately recognize, including:

1. More severe pain in the right stomach

Symptoms of abdominal pain in the lower right in children will be more painful when the appendix has started to burst.

Your child may complain that the appendicitis features get worse when you press on the stomach in that area for a few moments.

They may also say that the pain is worse when moving, taking deep breaths, or when coughing and sneezing.

The infection and inflammation of the appendix can irritate the lining of the stomach wall, which is known as the peritoneum. This is what will cause the child to feel sick when walking, standing, jumping, coughing, or even sneezing because the pressure in the stomach increases.

2. High fever

Fever is one of the symptoms of appendicitis in children, but not more than 38º Celsius. If the temperature jumps dramatically from this number, this is most likely a sign of a ruptured appendix in a child.

Overcoming the characteristics of appendicitis in children

The only way to deal with appendicitis symptoms in children is by surgery. Through surgery, the doctor will remove the inflamed and infected appendix before it spreads to other abdominal organs.

There are two types of medical surgery for appendicitis, namely by laparoscopy (with a small incision wound) and open surgery (with a larger incision).

Before surgery, usually your little one will be hospitalized 1 day first. Doctors will usually provide antibiotics and intravenous or intravenous fluids during treatment.

Antibiotic drugs are needed to prevent infection before and after appendectomy. Meanwhile, intravenous fluids will be given to provide medication through the blood vessels and prevent dehydration due to appendicitis symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.

Don't worry, because the risk of complications from appendectomy in children is small. Surgery must be done as soon as the doctor approves it to avoid the risk of rupture.

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