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1993-06-14
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$Unique_ID{PAR00017}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice: Appendicitis}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Appendicitis abdominal pain abdomen Tenderness Nausea vomiting Fever
ruptured appendix rupture rupturing appendectomy}
$Log{
Key Symptom of Appendicitis*0001701.tif}
Your Child: A Medical Guide
Appendicitis
Emergency Quick Reference
KEY SYMPTOM
- Persistent pain in the abdomen, usually in the lower right quarter
POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS
- Tenderness in the abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
IMPORTANT
- Call your doctor as soon as you suspect appendicitis. The condition
can worsen rapidly and can be fatal if not treated by a doctor.
HOME CARE
- Allow only clear liquids by mouth. If you strongly suspect
appendicitis, do not give the child any food or drink until you have
consulted your doctor.
- Do not apply cold to the abdomen. Gentle heat may ease a stomachache.
If pain continues or gets worse despite home treatment, call your
doctor.
PRECAUTIONS
- Do not give painkillers (including aspirin).
- Do not give a laxative or an enema.
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, caused by infection.
The appendix is a blind pouch about the size of your little finger that is
located where the small intestine joins the large intestine. In 99 percent of
all children, the appendix lies in the lower right quarter of the abdomen.
Appendicitis can occur at any age. If the appendix is not surgically
removed, the infection worsens until the appendix bursts. Then the infection
spreads throughout the abdomen. An infected appendix may perforate (rupture)
within hours of the initial pain or may not rupture for a day or two. A
ruptured appendix can lead to death.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Persistent abdominal pain in your child should be considered a symptom of
appendicitis until proved otherwise. Typically, the pain of appendicitis is
constant; it does not come and go like the pain from cramps. Once it starts,
it grows continuously worse. The pain may start in the pit of the stomach,
but it usually soon moves to the lower right quarter of the abdomen. The pain
is made worse by walking or just moving about. The abdomen is tender to a
gentle pressure in the lower right quarter, more tender than in other areas.
There may be nausea and vomiting, but these symptoms usually appear only after
the pain has started.
Generally, there is a low-grade fever (100 degrees_F oral, 101 degrees_F
rectal), but the temperature may range anywhere from normal to 104 degrees_F.
Bowel movements are usually normal, but there may be diarrhea. Diagnosis may
be difficult because not all of these signs are present in all cases. Because
diagnosis is so difficult and the condition is so serious, call your doctor if
you have any reason to suspect appendicitis.
HOME CARE
Try applying gentle heat, as with a heating pad turned to "low." If the
pain gets worse, it is probably caused by appendicitis. Never apply cold;
this can mask the symptoms of appendicitis.
Do not give painkillers. Aspirin can affect the blood's ability to clot,
so it should not be given in case the child needs surgery. Acetaminophen is
safe but useless.
Allow only clear liquids by mouth. However, once you suspect that there
is a strong possibility of appendicitis, do not give your child any food or
drink until you consult your physician.
Never give a laxative or an enema.
PRECAUTION
- If pain persists in the lower right quarter of the abdomen despite home
treatment measures, call your doctor.
MEDICAL TREATMENT
The only acceptable treatment for appendicitis is an appendectomy
(surgical removal of the appendix). Therefore, your doctor must be reasonably
sure of the diagnosis. In addition to the abdomen, your child's chest and
throat will be examined because a throat infection and pneumonia can cause
symptoms of appendicitis. A rectal examination will also be performed, and a
white blood cell count and a urinalysis will be done. An x-ray examination
may be ordered.
If the test results strongly suggest appendicitis, the doctor may operate
immediately. If not, he or she may admit your child to a hospital for
observation for a few hours until the diagnosis becomes more certain.
Unnecessary surgery is to be avoided, but the rule of safety is to operate on
a child who may have appendicitis rather than postpone surgery until the
appendix ruptures.
RELATED TOPICS: Stomachache, acute; Stomachache, chronic