¿Qué es el abdomen agudo en niños y cómo prevenirlo en el aula?

Title: What is acute abdomen in children and how to prevent it in the classroom? Author: Cao Han, Hunan Women's and Children's Hospital. Reviewer: Zhou Xiaoyu, Pediatric Surgery Expert. Organization: Hunan Medical Chat.

"Professor Wang, my stomach hurts a lot..." On the first day of classes, just after the second period, little Yu (a fictitious name), 7 years old, leaned on his desk with a pale face. The teacher, thinking it was just a simple stomachache, told the child to go to the bathroom for a while. But ten minutes later, a classmate had to help him return, as his coloration was even worse and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

In the security footage, the thin figure reached the classroom door, when suddenly his legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground. The class teacher was alarmed and quickly contacted the parents to take the child to the emergency room at Hunan Women's and Children's Hospital.

"Acute appendicitis, it has already perforated, if they had delayed half an hour more, he would have been in life-threatening danger." The doctor's words made Xiaoyu's mother weak. "This morning he said he felt a little discomfort in his stomach, I thought it was just that he wasn't adjusting to the start of school, I told him to hold on for a bit..." It was just a 'hold on a bit' that almost cost the child's life!

What you think is "stomach pain" could be the body asking for help.

Every March, during the second week of the new semester, pediatric emergency departments in major hospitals experience a small peak. This is not influenza or a cold, but pediatric acute abdomen. Why does this happen at this time?

1. After-effects of the holiday period. During the winter vacation, children's sleep and eating schedules become chaotic, causing their digestive systems to be in a state of "sub-health." Upon returning to school, the transition to a regular schedule is sudden, and the body has not had time to adapt.

Spring is indeed a period of high incidence for gastrointestinal diseases. The temperatures fluctuate between heat and cold, activating viruses and bacteria, and children's resistance is relatively low.

3. The most critical factor: parents' "school anxiety" infects their children. With the new semester starting, the burden of homework, exams, and late nights increases, causing many children to experience "functional abdominal pain." But the problem is, who can distinguish whether it is "stress pain" or a "pain that could be serious"?

Abdominal pain in children is never a matter that can be ignored with a simple "hold on." Especially in the following situations, every minute counts in the race against time:

1. Appendicitis: Initially, there may be a mild pain around the navel, which in a few hours shifts to the lower right abdomen. The child may hunch over and resist having their abdomen touched. If not treated in time, once perforation occurs, the infection will spread quickly throughout the abdominal cavity.

2. Intussusception: a section of the intestine telescopes into another. It is manifested by intermittent intense crying, vomiting, and jelly-like stools. Babies aged 6 months to 2 years are the highest-risk population; they cannot say "it hurts," they can only cry inconsolably.

3. Incarcerated hernia: suddenly a lump appears in the groin, which feels hard to the touch, and the child cannot straighten out due to the pain. If time passes, the intestines can suffer ischemia and necrosis.

In these situations, do not wait blindly; many parents may ask: how can I distinguish this? Remember one thing: it is better to make a trip to the hospital unnecessarily than to wait one more minute at home. Especially when the child exhibits the following situations, seek medical attention immediately:

1. Pain persists for more than 2 hours without relief.

The child is curled up and not moving, resisting any pressure on the stomach.

3. Accompanied by persistent vomiting and fever;

4. Expelling stools that are jelly-like or black;

5. The mental condition is worsening more and more.

Pediatric surgery expert Zhou Xiaoyu stated: "We have seen too many cases where parental negligence has delayed treatment, as well as many children who have been saved thanks to timely medical attention. Many times, it is this 'degree of alertness' that can prevent a child from undergoing surgery and even save their life. This not only allows for the management of 'small issues', but it can also resolve 'major inconveniences.'"

Special author for Hunan Medical Chat: Cao Han, Hunan Women's and Children's Hospital.

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