If, while crying, the baby's navel suddenly enlarges or a "balloon" appears in his groin during exercise, take the baby to the doctor. This is what a hernia looks like. This is a common condition in newborns and sometimes requires surgery. How is a hernia formed in babies? Hernia symptoms and treatment in infants.
A hernia in an infantdoes not have to be dangerous, but the child should always be seen by a specialist. In the case of infants and young children, the most common thing is abdominal hernia.
How does a hernia develop in babies?
Children still have weak muscles, so gaps sometimes appear in thinner places of their abdominal wall. When an infant starts crying, screaming or struggling to kill himself, the muscles cannot withstand the pressure in the abdomen: the intestines are pushed apart from the inside, and when they encounter a gap - they slide out through it. This is how a hernia is formed.
Hernia in an infant: types
Usually, such weak spots are located around the baby's navel and it is the umbilical hernia that is the most common ailment of newborns and young children. Sometimes, however, the "hole" appears in an infant's groin or, in boys, in the scrotum. We are talking then about the inguinal and scrotal hernia.
Umbilical hernia in an infant
This is a popular and least dangerous type of hernia. The intestines bulge through the umbilical ring during exercise, which is very easy to drain, or "hide" back into the tummy. Umbilical hernia is often experienced by premature babies and children who cry a lot, e.g. they suffer from colic, constipation.
If you notice a characteristic "balloon" around your baby's navel (it may be the size of a walnut or mandarin), don't worry - an umbilical hernia is not dangerous as it is not life threatening. However, be sure to go to the doctor to confirm the diagnosis and teach you how to properly deal with a baby who has a hernia. Compressing the bulge, e.g. with a clothes or a diaper, is not painful for a child, just like the ailment itself.
If the pediatrician determines that the hernia is small, he will recommend putting the baby on his tummy often - this position strengthens the muscles, and the intestines arenaturally oppressed and cannot get out. He will also say to limit the crying of the baby as much as possible: the little whining must be fed often so that he does not announce his hunger by screaming. It's worth paying attention to your (if you are breastfeeding) diet and diet to help eliminate colic and constipation.
If the doctor determines that the hernia is quite large, he or she may order to cover it with a plaster that holds the muscles - this procedure is performed by a doctor or a nurse. The patch is applied to the navel after removing the hernia and is left for 2 weeks (the patches can be soaked while bathing). After this time, a new one is attached; the entire treatment lasts from one to several months.
Increasingly, however, pediatricians are departing from this method of treating hernia due to poor effectiveness and allergic reactions that occur in many babies in the place where the skin touches the adhesive. However, there are still many supporters of patches, so if you have a dilemma - sticking or not - go to a doctor you trust and rely on his opinion.
Umbilical hernia disappears by itself when your baby's muscles strengthen. In rare cases, when this does not happen, the surgeon decides to operate on it. This procedure consists in sewing the opening in the abdominal integuments and is performed in the 6th-7th. age. This condition is not hereditary - if your little one has a hernia, it does not mean that subsequent children will also suffer from it.
Inguinal and scrotal hernia in an infant
If the hernia appears in the baby's groin (on one or both sides) or in the scrotum (in boys), it means that the baby is undergoing surgery. Unlike the umbilical hernia, the inguinal and scrotal hernia does not retract by itself, so it must be surgically removed. Ideally, before the baby is one year old. The procedure is not dangerous, the child remains in the hospital for 2-3 days.
Before the surgery is due, however, the doctor will show you how to drain the hernia (you will do this at home every time a "balloon" appears). It is best to take it while the baby is bathing or sleeping, when the baby's muscles are relaxed - gently press the protrusion with your finger, pushing it in.
Learning to hide a hernia is extremely important, because it may happen that the displaced intestines cannot be drained away and become trapped (the mother must know if this is the case). Imprisonment may result in ischemia of a part of the organs and their necrosis. The first symptom of such a situation is the bruising of the raised area, so as soon as you find that the hernia cannot be drained out, go with the babygo to hospital immediately.
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