What causes redness and swelling around the anus in children?

Perianal abscess is an emergency in the anorectal department. Perianal cysts are more common in children, especially newborns or infants, but what exactly causes this disease? If you don’t know much about these diseases, then follow the editor to learn about the reasons for redness and swelling around the anus in children.

Perianal abscess is an acute suppurative infection that occurs around the anorectum. The source of infection is at the junction of the anal canal and rectum inside the anus, which is a tissue called anal sinus. The infectious bacteria are mainly Escherichia coli in the feces. Perianal abscess is different from infections in other parts of the body. Its particularity is that once it occurs, it is basically impossible to heal on its own or with drugs. Why are babies more susceptible to this disease?

This is because children have delicate skin, low immune mechanisms, poor body resistance, relatively vigorous secretion of anal glands, and the use of wet diapers can easily lead to perianal infection, thus forming perianal abscesses. You need to pay attention if your baby shows the following symptoms: often crying during bowel movements, refusing to eat when fed, having a fever, pustules near the anus, and redness and swelling around the anus.

Other causes of anorectal abscesses in infancy include:

1. Compression by stool: The sacral curvature of children has not yet formed, and the rectum and anal canal are in a vertical state (especially for boys). Feces directly compress the anal sinus at the dentate line of the anal canal, which can easily cause anal sinus injury, infection and inflammation. Girls have their uterus pressing on their rectum in front of it, and their rectal curvature is similar to that of adults. Their anal sinuses are less likely to be damaged by feces, so the incidence rate is lower than that of boys.

2. Diaper dermatitis around the anus of children causes infection of hair follicles, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands, leading to subcutaneous abscesses. In addition, infants have low immune function and poor resistance, and their sebaceous glands secrete more vigorously, which can easily lead to subcutaneous infection around the anus and form abscesses. From this, it can be seen that in addition to anal sinus injury and infection, unclean perianal skin is also a major factor in anorectal abscess in infants and young children.

Because children are prone to redness and swelling around the anus during infancy, mothers must pay more attention to it in normal times. You need to change your child's diapers frequently. Children's body resistance is relatively poor and they are easily infected with certain diseases. The editor wishes you a healthy baby.