Living With A Hernia
Facts About Baby Living With a Hernia After Birth
If your child develops a hernia, living with a hernia afflicting your new baby can be frightening, but the more you understand about the condition, the less frightened you might be. First it is important to understand exactly what a hernia is.
When a hernia occurs what has happened is that a section of the intestine is protruding the stomach muscle where it has been weakened. When someone has a hernia you may notice a soft bulge beneath the skin. When someone has a hernia, it will either occur around the naval or groin area of the body.
When a baby develops a hernia it often will happen sometime between birth and about three of four months of age. There are two different types of hernias that a baby can develop, they are known as an umbilical hernia and an inguinal hernia. Each of these types of hernias will have different contributing factors in their development.
Some babies are more at risk for developing a hernia than others. Children that are at high risk include those who have a sibling or a parent that developed a hernia when they were a baby, cystic fibrosis, un-descended testes, or abnormalities of the urethra.
Having a baby that is living with a hernia condition is a major concern. One of the reasons that a baby that develops a hernia is of concern is in some cases the intestine that is protruding may become stuck and the doctor will not be able to push it back into the stomach. When this happens the blood supply can be lost, causing further health problems.
Although the hernia may occur soon after birth, you may not actually notice the condition until the baby is several weeks old. The main sign that your baby has developed a hernia will be the bulge in the naval area or the groin; this bulge may become more prominent if they baby is crying. It is important to understand that the crying is not causing the hernia; it is just making it more noticeable.
If the intestine has become stuck you may notice that the child’s stomach has become bigger and rounder. The baby may begin to vomit; the child may be very fussy and act as if he or she is in pain. In addition to these signs, the baby may run a fever or develop a redness or rash. Although these are symptoms of a hernia, they are also symptoms of a variety of other health problems. No matter if your child has a hernia or another health issue you should always contact your child’s doctor if they display any of these symptoms.
Treating a hernia in a baby depends on several different factors, such as the child’s age and what type of hernia they have developed. With the Umbilical hernia treatment usually involves a wait and watch period as this type of hernia will usually correct itself with time. If it doesn’t or becomes bigger your child’s doctor may recommend surgery. The inguinal hernia usually requires surgery, which is performed soon after birth or as soon as the hernia is diagnosed.
If you suspect that your new baby may have a hernia it is important that you contact your child’s doctor as soon as possible, especially for those hernias near the groin, as they will want to correct it before it can cause damage.
Living with a hernia condition in a baby is frightening but the outlook is good. After a hernia has closed, by itself or with surgery it rarely reoccurs and your child will go on to live a normal life.