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| Forms Of Hernia |
In children, a hernia usually occurs in one of two places:
1. Around the belly-button (Umbilical hernia)
2. In the groin area (Inquinal hernia)
A hernia can develop in the first few
months after the baby is born because of a weakness in the muscles of
the abdomen. As a male fetus grows and matures during pregnancy, the
testicles develop in the abdomen and then move down into the scrotum
through an area called the inguinal canal. Shortly after the baby is
born, the inguinal canal closes, preventing the testicles from moving
back into the abdomen. If this area does not close off completely, a
loop of intestine can move into the inguinal canal through the weakened
area of the lower abdominal wall, causing a hernia.
Hernias occur more often in children who have one or more of the following risk factors:
1. A parent or sibling who had a hernia as an infant
2. Cystic fibrosis
3. Developmental dysplasia of the hip
4. Undescended testes
5. Abnormalities of the urethra
6. Inguinal hernias occur:
7. In about one to three percent of all children.
8. More often in premature infants.
What are the symptoms of a hernia?
Hernias usually occur in newborns, but may not be noticeable for several weeks or months after birth.
Straining and crying do not cause hernias; however, the increased pressure in the abdomen can make a hernia more noticeable.
Inguinal hernias appear as a bulge or
swelling in the groin or scrotum. The swelling may be more noticeable
when the baby cries, and may get smaller or go away when the baby
relaxes. If your physician pushes gently on this bulge when the child is
calm and lying down, it will usually get smaller or go back into the
abdomen.
If the hernia is not reducible, then the
loop of intestine may be caught in the weakened area of abdominal
muscle. Symptoms that may be seen when this happens include the
following:
1. A full, round abdomen.
2. Vomiting.
3. Pain or fussiness.
4. Redness or discoloration.
5. Fever.
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