New Delhi: While often associated with teens and adults, appendicitis is a condition that does not spare the youngest among us, health experts have warned, noting that the condition — characterised by inflammation of the appendix — is one of the leading causes of emergency abdominal surgery in children.
“Appendicitis can happen at any age, even in very young children,” said Dr Shandip Kumar Sinha, Director of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology at Medanta-The Medicity in Gurugram.
“While it’s more commonly diagnosed in kids over five years old, we’ve seen cases even in toddlers. The challenge is that symptoms in younger children can be less typical and harder to recognise.”
The appendix, a small, tube-shaped pouch attached to the large intestine, can become blocked by stool, infection, or swollen lymph tissue. When that happens, the organ becomes inflamed and filled with pus. Left untreated, it can rupture and lead to peritonitis — a serious and potentially life-threatening infection of the abdominal cavity.
Appendicitis is most frequently seen in children aged 10 to 19, but younger children are by no means immune. In fact, doctors caution that toddlers and preschool-aged children are more difficult to diagnose due to the nonspecific nature of their symptoms.
Typical warning signs include abdominal pain (often starting around the navel and moving to the lower right side), fever, nausea, vomiting, and a noticeable drop in appetite. Some children may experience constipation or diarrhoea. In very young patients, a bloated abdomen, irritability, or refusal of food may be the only visible signs.
“Young children can’t always explain what they’re feeling,” said Dr Sinha. “The biggest risk in paediatric appendicitis is delay. In children under five, the appendix can rupture within 24 hours of symptom onset. That’s why parents and caregivers need to be vigilant.”
When appendicitis is suspected, doctors typically perform a combination of physical exams, blood work, and imaging tests such as an ultrasound or CT scan.
“Out of all these, clinical examination by an experienced pediatric surgeon is the most important means for diagnosis. We commonly avoid CT scan in the young children because of risk of radiation and it is only done in selected cases,” Dr Sinha added.
Once confirmed, treatment usually involves an appendectomy — a surgical removal of the appendix.
In some early cases, where rupture hasn’t occurred, a non-surgical approach using antibiotics may be considered. However, surgery remains the most reliable and common treatment option.
Recovery times vary. Most children bounce back quickly after surgery and can go home within a couple of days. If the appendix has ruptured, longer hospital stays and a course of intravenous antibiotics are often necessary.
Health experts have urge parents to seek immediate medical care if a child experiences persistent abdominal pain, especially in the lower right abdomen, alongside fever, nausea, or vomiting.
“Time is critical with appendicitis,” said Dr Raman Kumar, Chairman, Academy of Family Physicians of India. “Early diagnosis and prompt treatment significantly reduce the risk of complications.”
In a condition where every hour counts, recognising the warning signs could save a child from unnecessary pain and even save their life, he asserted.
