If you have any questions or anything is unclear, ask staff to explain as many times as needed. Before the operationĪ surgeon, an anaesthetist (a doctor who puts your child to sleep during the operation) and nurses will explain all the procedures to you before they begin. Antibiotics will stop your child's appendicitis getting worse while they wait for their operation. When a diagnosis of appendicitis is made, your child will be given antibiotics. Rarely an open operation will need to be performed through a larger incision. The appendix is normally removed through a keyhole operation with three, small keyhole cuts about 1-2cm long each, made in different parts of your child's abdomen. Most cases of appendicitis need an operation called appendicectomy. Operation to check the appendix even if they are not certain it is inflamed. In cases where children are sick and it is not clear why, your doctor may recommend an The doctor may also do a blood test to look for signs of infection or inflammation. Your child may need an ultrasound or X-ray to take pictures of their abdomen. What is going on, but these tests are not always helpful or reliable. Sometimes tests will be performed to help work out
If the doctor is not sure if it is appendicitis, they may keep your child in hospital and watch them to see if their symptoms get worse. Sometimes it can be difficult to work out the cause of stomach pain as there are many possible reasons. They will examine your child by checking the site of the pain and pressing on the abdomen. The doctor will ask for a history of your child's symptoms and illness. If your child is in significant pain, which is made worse by moving or touching the stomach, go straight to your local emergency department. A diagnosis of appendicitis is important because the inflammation causes the appendix to swell, and sometimes it can leak its contents into the stomach. If you think your child has appendicitis, take them to your GP or local emergency department.
Inflammation is most commonly caused by a small, hard piece of faeces (poo) getting stuck in the tube of the appendix. It is quite small and is a normal part of the bowel, but it is not thought to have an important role in the body.Īppendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. The appendix sits in the lower right side of the abdomen (stomach).