Does hernia in children require surgery? There are ways to deal with it at home

There are two common types of hernia in children: umbilical hernia and inguinal hernia. If a mother finds a small lump in her baby's belly button or thigh, she should be alert. Hernia can affect the baby's digestive system, and the mother should understand some home coping measures.

1. Types of Qi

There are two types of hernias: those that occur in the navel are called umbilical hernias, and those that occur in the groin are called inguinal hernias. The main reason for hernia is due to defects in embryonic development. In layman's terms, there is a membrane inside the human body that covers various organs. However, if this membrane is not fully developed or has loose places, softer things such as large and small intestines can easily slip out from this gap. They are most likely to slip out when the baby is crying or coughing.

2. What does umbilical hernia look like?

Umbilical hernias usually appear in infancy and are particularly noticeable when the baby coughs and cries. Some umbilical hernias are very small and can only accommodate a little finger. The reason for the formation of umbilical hernia is that in the late development of the fetus's abdominal wall, the remaining closure is relatively poor and has not closed well. This hernia is more likely in low-birth-weight and premature babies.

3. Home response

1. Do not use tape or copper plate to press. Many people also think that pressing it down with a copper plate and then taping it up can help it heal faster. In fact, the method of sticking copper plates is totally ineffective, and in many cases it may cause an allergic reaction of the skin to the tape.

2. Umbilical hernia has a high chance of healing on its own and will heal before the age of 1. After the age of 1, the chance of spontaneous healing decreases with increasing age, but some larger hernias may not heal until the age of 5 to 6.

3. If the umbilical hernia does not get better, it is recommended to wait until the child is three or four years old to see a doctor and follow the doctor's treatment.

4. What does an inguinal hernia look like?

Inguinal hernia is a fairly common pediatric disease with an incidence of about 3%, and the chance of occurring in boys is about 5-10 times that in girls. Premature babies and babies with high intra-abdominal pressure are more likely to develop inguinal hernias, such as babies who are often constipated. A lump or bump is found in the groin area, and sometimes even swells up to the scrotum area. Most of these lumps appear after crying, coughing, sneezing, standing for a long time or strenuous exercise, but they will disappear naturally after lying down or resting. Sometimes you need to press them back with your hands. The pain caused by a simple hernia is usually not severe, but if there is persistent severe pain in the groin, the lump cannot be pressed back, and the symptoms persist for two or three days, it may be due to necrosis of the fallen intestines, fallopian tubes, etc. This is a very serious complication and can be life-threatening.

5. Home Response

1. If hernia occurs, let the baby lie flat immediately and raise the lower body appropriately. Generally, the hernia will disappear after a while; or you can gently push the lump back into the abdominal cavity with your hands.

2. If the "air bag" of a baby with hernia is very hard and cannot be returned to the abdominal cavity, and vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever occur, it indicates that the small intestine is incarcerated. The baby should seek medical attention immediately for surgical treatment to avoid life-threatening sepsis caused by intestinal necrosis.