The first signs of appendicitis in a 16-year-old teenager. The most common clinical signs of appendicitis in adolescents

When a child begins to hurt his stomach, do not write off the possibility of inflammation of the appendix. Try as soon as possible to get an appointment with your doctor so that he can conduct an examination and confirm or refute your fears. Acute appendicitis most often occurs in children.

Before doctors, the task of making a diagnosis for pain in the abdomen becomes more complicated at times if they have a small patient in front of them. A child often simply cannot tell in detail about the nature and focus of pain, everything hurts him and very much.

Inflammation of the appendix is most often observed in children aged 9-13 years - 13-20%. Less common in preschoolers, only 10-12% of cases. Most often, 70-75% is adolescence 14-19 years. In infants, inflammation of the appendix is extremely rare. The reason for this is the immaturity of their digestive system.

Features of the course of appendicitis in children

After the child is 7 years old, the first signs of appendicitis will be the same as in most adults. Despite this similarity, making a correct diagnosis can be complicated by the fact that the child is frightened, may act up and cry. A lot of children are simply afraid of the operation, which is why they can say that their stomach has stopped hurting and everything is fine, anything, just to stay at home.

Usually inflammation of the appendix occurs unpredictably. This can happen both on weekends at home, and in kindergarten, and on a walk, and even at a party. In children under 3 years of age, from the very beginning of the disease, deviations in behavior can be noticed: they refuse to eat, act up, sleep poorly and become noticeably less active. Babies won't be able to tell you exactly where it hurts. They will point to the whole stomach, claiming that it hurts everywhere. The strongest reaction of the baby can be observed on the first night after the onset of the inflammatory process, his sleep will be very restless, with periodic waking up and screaming. And also with accidental touching of the tummy in the navel. The pain may increase when dressing or bending to the right, lying on the right side.

Please note that with inflammation of the appendix, the baby may feel sick and diarrhea may also be present, while some mucus is often present in the feces. Less common is just a delay in stool. Severe pain in the abdomen will also be accompanied by pain when urinating. And will talk about the inflammatory process, which can rise up to 40 °. Although in children who are breastfed, the temperature often does not rise above 37.5 ° for quite a long time.

During the game, the child may cry very much when squatting, pulling his right leg towards him, in an attempt to reduce pain or take the most comfortable position.

In view of the peculiarities of the structure of the intestine, appendicitis very rarely occurs in children under 2 years of age.

If the child is older, then he is already more or less clearly and clearly able to tell his mother when his stomach began to hurt. At the same time, it will not be possible to notice any changes in his usual behavior. Children over 3 years old can tolerate mild pain without telling their parents about it, in the hope that he just ate something wrong and after a while everything will go away on its own. They are already at a more conscious age, so they can indicate exactly where the pain was localized. If the painful area is near the navel, slightly above it, this is only the beginning of inflammation of the appendix. Everything is much more serious if the lower abdomen hurts, closer to the right side. When moving, the pain can become much stronger, and also if you lie on your right side. The child can tell what kind of pain he is experiencing: severe sharp or aching dull.

The very first signs of appendicitis in this case will be lethargy, vomiting and nausea. In children older than 3 years, diarrhea is unlikely, more likely just stool retention, but not constipation. An increase in body temperature within 38-39 ° is also an indicator of the inflammatory process in the child's body. When you change the position of the body, the nature and strength of the pain may change. For example, if the child is placed on the left side, this will significantly reduce pain.

The first signs of appendicitis in children

Appendicitis occurs when an appendix of the caecum, the appendix, becomes inflamed and is about 6 cm long. The signs and symptoms of this disease in children can also be similar to many other diseases.

The first signs of an inflammatory process will always be pain in the abdomen. Most often, the initial localization of pain is the navel area, a couple of fingers above it and not very painful, slightly perceptible. Over time, the pain is able to move closer to the lower abdomen and right side, while it becomes much stronger.

The condition of the child with inflammation of the appendix will noticeably worsen: in addition to lethargy, weakness and high fever, nausea or vomiting may begin. And this happens repeatedly. Children begin to hysteria and act up, refuse their favorite food.

When touched on the stomach, babies may scream out sharply, start crying and try to wriggle out so that you leave them alone and do not touch them again.

An increase in temperature in children does not always occur, so this is not the main sign of appendicitis.

If you notice this behavior in your child, be sure to try to palpate his abdomen to find out where the pain is located. Try to do this very carefully so as not to harm the baby. If it hurts more on the right side, you should lightly press on the stomach in that area with a few fingers, maybe that's where you will feel a slight seal. With inflammation of the appendix, the pain will intensify if you sharply remove your fingers from the place of pressure. You can also ask the child to cough or laugh if the pain intensifies with such actions - this indicates the presence of acute appendicitis. Call an ambulance immediately so that the doctors can make the correct diagnosis in time and provide the child with the necessary assistance.

In no case do not hesitate to seek medical help. Delay can contribute to the fact that appendicitis will turn into peritonitis, which is a complication of the disease. An inflamed appendix can burst at any time, while all its contents, including pus, will end up in the child's abdominal cavity. At what point in time this can happen, even the most experienced physicians cannot predict. It is better to call the doctor once again and make sure that these are just intestinal colic. In any case, you just take a blood and urine test of the child, they will show the big picture. According to their results, you can immediately judge whether your excitement is justified or not.

Almost always, appendicitis is treated only surgically, by removing the process of the caecum from the abdominal cavity. It takes a little less than a week to recover after a 20-minute operation so that the child can return to his usual way of life again. This is provided that after the operation there will be no complications.

Causes of appendicitis in children

Despite how developed medicine is now, no one can still say with 100% certainty for what reason appendicitis occurred in a particular child. Doctors are sure of one thing for sure: for inflammation of the appendix to occur in the intestine, bacteria must be present, and the lumen of the process of the caecum must be clogged. Only with the simultaneous presence of these two conditions does appendicitis occur.

A blockage of the appendix occurs due to excessive eating of seeds, seeds, or stool that enters the lumen.

Doctors also identify several reasons why inflammation of the appendix can also occur:

low immunity. The child's body can not cope with the attack of viruses, the infection penetrates into the abdominal cavity, and then into the vermiform appendix of the caecum, the inflammatory process begins;

Swelling and hematomas in the area of the wound and sutures are formed quite often in the first few days after surgery. They gradually resolve on their own and do not require any additional treatment.

The most common complication is wound suppuration. This form occurs mainly due to the fact that not all the pus was sufficiently well removed from the abdominal cavity after the rupture of the appendix. As a result, microbes remain in the body, causing a similar complication. To treat this problem, patients are given broad-spectrum antibiotics, the stitches are removed, and the wound is washed. Special bandages impregnated with antibacterial solutions and drugs are placed on its edges. The duration of such manipulations and the elimination of complications directly depends on the stage of suppuration and its form.

In children, more often than in adults, the most dangerous complication occurs - from the abdominal cavity. Sometimes, due to untimely actions of the attending physician, such a complication can cause the death of a child.

This complication includes peritonitis, various abscesses, internal bleeding arising from damaged vessels and tissues. Damage is caused by the contents of a ruptured appendix. Such complications appear only on the 6-9th postoperative day. The first reasons will be a sharp unreasonable increase in temperature, a sharp pain in the right side, very similar to the one that the patient experienced before the operation.

The rarest complication in children after surgery is subdiaphragmatic abscesses. Most often, the symptoms of complications are pronounced and noticeable immediately: fever, intoxication, severe shortness of breath, severe chest pain when inhaling.

The most difficult thing in this case is to correctly determine the location of the resulting abscess. This complication is very difficult to diagnose. When such a diagnosis is made, treatment is carried out, only surgically. Since the abscess must be opened and all accumulated pus removed by inserting a catheter to drain it.

To start timely treatment, you need to know the signs of appendicitis in a teenager. Such knowledge will never be redundant. Knowing the first symptoms can avoid complications. Let's take a closer look at the signs of appendicitis in adolescence.

Early symptoms of the disease

Children 12 years of age are more likely to suffer from this pathology. In early adolescence, potentially serious inflammation of the appendix can be fatal. The first signs of appendicitis at the age of 12-14 years:

dull pain near the navel or in the upper abdomen of the child, it becomes acute, moves to the lower right region;
loss of appetite.

The main symptom of appendicitis is pain. The mechanism of its development, and from which side does it manifest itself in the first place? The disease begins with sudden pain in the abdomen. At first, it is diffuse and its localization is incomprehensible, it feels like the entire lower and upper abdomen hurts.

Where does it hurt and for how long? It is localized in the right iliac region, moderate intensity, permanent. In 70% of patients occurs in the epigastric region. After 2-4 hours, it moves to the location of the appendix (Kocher's symptom). Over time, it is localized in the lower right square, the patient is able to determine its exact location. She disturbs the undergrowth within 4 to 6 hours. Symptoms of pain:

occurs suddenly, often causing the patient to wake up at night;
appears earlier than other symptoms;
starts at the navel, and then moves down and to the right;
worsens over several hours;
worse when moving, when the patient takes a deep breath, when sneezing and coughing.

In 13-year-old girls, pain in the lower abdomen and on the right side can indicate the beginning of critical days. Many people confuse menstrual pain with appendicitis, especially if it's the first period.

Attention! Early signs are often difficult to distinguish from other conditions, including gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines).

Many teenagers are admitted to the hospital for suspected appendicitis and leave with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis. Children often describe symptoms inadequately due to severe pain and mental confusion, so doctors may think about another illness.

Late signs of pathology

The sequence of appearance of symptoms is of great importance for medical practice and differential diagnosis. In more than 95 girls aged 18 years with acute appendicitis, the secondary symptom is anorexia, accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting.

Anorexia almost always accompanies appendicitis. This combination of diseases can mainly be in a teenager girl who wanted to lose weight. Appendicitis is so persistent that the diagnosis should be questioned. Although vomiting occurs in almost 75% of patients. It is caused by nervous excitement and the presence of obstruction. Other signs of appendicitis:

nausea;
chronic constipation due to inadequate fiber intake is another sign of appendicitis;
diarrhea;
inability to pass gases;
swelling of the abdominal cavity.

Due to loss of appetite, the teenager develops nausea and vomiting. This symptom rarely bothers children 15 years of age and older. Children of 17 years old say that during defecation there is such a feeling that the discomfort decreases, the pain subsides a little, it becomes easier to move around. After a short period of time, severe spasms and pain return.

Important! Nausea and vomiting may occur due to intestinal obstruction with the expansion of the inflammatory infiltrate or abscess, and not from local inflammation.

Symptoms of an inflamed appendicitis

Symptoms of appendicitis may take 4 to 48 hours to appear. During this time, the signs acquire different intensities, a temporary remission or an acute deterioration in the adolescent's condition is possible. What are the signs of inflammation? An increase in body temperature indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. Usually it is subfebrile, that is, it does not exceed 37–37.5 degrees. But in adolescents 12-16 years old, the temperature can rise to 38 degrees.

If the doctor suspects appendicitis, he should send the child for blood tests to determine the number of white blood cells. In adolescents with an inflamed appendix, their number should be increased, which indicates that the body is fighting the infection.

What are the complications?

The most common complication of acute appendicitis is rupture of the inflamed appendix. This can lead to an emergency situation requiring surgical intervention. Other complications of the disease may include abscess and purulent pylephlebitis.

Attention! If the patient is not treated promptly and the appendix bursts, it can cause potentially life-threatening infections. With the appearance of acute pain in the abdominal cavity, which quickly worsens, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance.

The use of antibiotics in an attempt to avoid or delay surgery is hazardous to health. In this case, if the obstruction is not removed, the pathology will continue to make gangrenous additions and lead to rupture of the appendix. The contents of the burst appendix are poured into the abdominal cavity. This complication is called peritonitis.

Purulent pylephlebitis is a severe but rare complication. Purulent abscesses form in the liver, intense fever begins, pain in the right hypochondrium and jaundice.

Appendicular abscess is a progressive purulent process, inflammation of the caecum and coils of the small intestine. If such a complication is ignored and not treated properly, a fatal outcome is possible.

A burst appendix releases bacteria to other parts of the body. This can cause a condition called peritonitis. Symptoms include severe persistent abdominal pain, fever, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath with rapid breathing, swelling of the abdomen. In some cases, the outcome can be fatal.

The appendix is a small outgrowth of the caecum, an inflammation of which is called appendicitis.

Treatment of this disease requires mandatory surgical intervention. Therefore, when the first signs of it appear, you must urgently consult a doctor!

Inflammation of the caecum in adolescence is diagnosed in much the same way as in adults. Adolescents, unlike children, can already accurately describe the nature of the pain caused by the disease. They do not interfere with the doctor's laboratory examination.

Signs of inflammation of appendicitis

Irritability, sleep disturbance, lack of appetite.
Localization of pain near the navel.
Appearance of nausea, vomiting.
Intestinal upset (diarrhea) and fever.
With appendicitis, the patient is in the supine position on the right side, or on the back. Any change in the comfort position causes a sensation of pain that will force the patient to return to the starting position.
Minor physical actions such as laughing or coughing or sneezing can cause severe pain.
The respiratory process also changes slightly - the lower part of the abdominal wall during inhalation lags far behind its entire surface.

All symptoms of appendicitis in adolescents must be diagnosed by a qualified doctor.

The examination should be carried out using various methods (examination, laboratory tests (blood test), ultrasound and x-rays of all organs, bacteriological culture of feces to detect infectious diseases).

For teenage girls must be examined by a gynecologist, because inflammation of the uterine appendages, ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy occur with similar symptoms.

If inflammation of appendicitis is detected, urgent hospitalization is necessary, with further surgical intervention.

Types of disease:

There are several types of appendicitis, which are characterized by the degree of inflammation.

Acute catarrhal

The very first stage of the development of inflammation of the appendix. There is no pronounced pain syndrome or it is mild.

Simple appendicitis

It proceeds according to the above symptoms, if you do not seek medical help in time, then the complications of acute appendicitis cannot be avoided.

destructive

The pain syndrome is more pronounced, the temperature is elevated.

Acute phlegmonous

Pain increases, temperature appears. The appendix fills with pus, ulcers form on its walls. The next stage in the development of the disease is inflammation of the walls of the peritoneum, muscles. The inflamed appendix can be felt on palpation.

Acute gangrenous

This stage is considered the most difficult. It occurs if timely medical care has not been provided. It is characterized by complete infection of the abdominal cavity and complete death of appendix cells, which can lead to a temporary loss of pain sensation. Feeling worse. There is intoxication of the body. The patient begins to delirious. If you do not provide medical assistance, peritonitis begins (the release of pus into the abdominal cavity), which can lead to blood poisoning.

Chronic appendicitis(residual) occurs after an acute attack, ending in recovery without surgery.

Treatment of such appendicitis is performed surgically, as in acute appendicitis.

Signs of chronic appendicitis

Dull, aching pain in the right side, which occurs spontaneously during exercise.
Secondary signs of chronic appendicitis are: slow emptying of the appendix, filling defects in its shadow, detection of fecal stones, changes in the shape of the appendix, unevenness of its lumen (with ultrasound).
If attacks of acute appendicitis recur, then this is the so-called chronic recurrent appendicitis.

Errors at the first manifestations of the disease

Taking painkillers for pain in the abdomen. This prevents the doctor from properly examining.
Warm compresses on the abdomen. It is strictly forbidden, because it can cause a deterioration in the patient's condition, activate the inflammation process. It is better to apply cold, it will relieve pain.
Ignoring pain. Do not treat your body negligently, if there is even a slight pain in the appendix area, immediately go to the doctor.

Remember, appendicitis is a disease that can have serious consequences for the patient's health and life if it is not properly diagnosed and treated. It is especially important to recognize the symptoms of the disease in a teenager in a timely manner. After all, it is at this age that a person is characterized by a careless attitude towards his body, ignoring pain. Seek immediate medical attention at the first sign of inflammation of the appendix!

The appendix of the caecum is a rudimentary organ, the length of which does not exceed 9 cm, better known as the appendix, which causes a lot of trouble.

The most common cause of surgery in childhood and adolescence is inflammation of the appendix. What are the signs of appendicitis in a teenager?

The appendix in our body plays the role of a purifier of the digestive system, protecting it from inflammatory processes, and is a warehouse of beneficial bacteria. Causes of exacerbation of appendicitis in adolescents can be divided into two types: mechanical and infectious: 1. Mechanical causes include stagnation and hardening of feces. After the process is removed, the husks from the seeds, small toys and bones are found in it. 2.

Practice shows that in most cases the causes of inflammation of the appendix are not clear. Appendicitis is divided into subspecies, depending on the degree of inflammation:

Early is called acute catarrhal. At this stage, pain may be absent or muffled pain sensations are noted.
Standard signs appear at the stage of simple appendicitis - at this moment, in order to avoid complications, you should consult a doctor.
The temperature rises, pain intensifies at the destructive stage.
Retaining all the signs of the previous stage, but with the accumulation of purulent mass, the inflammation process becomes acute phlegmonous.
The most dangerous stage is acute gangrenous, the abdominal cavity is infected, the pain can subside, because the appendix cells die. All signs of poisoning of the body begin
If acute appendicitis ended in recovery without surgical intervention, the stage of residual inflammation begins. Treatment at this stage will still require surgery to remove the causes of inflammation.

Signs of appendicitis

It is important for all parents to know the first signs of appendicitis. Abdominal pain is a reason for close attention to the health of the child. The main danger of acute appendicitis is rapid progression of the disease. from the first signs of exacerbation to a critical point, it can take several days, in a child this period is reduced to several hours.

Self-diagnosis is difficult because the signs of appendicitis in a teenager can be confused with a large number of less dangerous diseases that do not require surgical intervention.

The first sign is a sharp pain. At first, the whole abdomen may hurt. Later, pain sensations develop in the paraumbilical space and move to the right iliac region.

Symptoms

The nature of the pain can be of different intensity - it depends on the degree of inflammation, the individual sensitivity threshold. With any movement, the pain intensifies - it can be both tolerable and unbearable. Additional symptoms of appendicitis in a teenager:

lethargy;
nausea;
possible vomiting;
violation of the digestive tract, accompanied by both diarrhea and constipation.

The intensity of vomiting is much less than with standard poisoning. The body temperature rises, and a general blood test reveals leukocytosis. When examining the tongue, you can notice a white coating on its surface.

Diagnostics

If the symptoms of appendicitis in adolescents are easier to learn through a survey, then the diagnosis of appendicitis in young children is difficult because the child cannot describe his feelings.

To make a diagnosis, the patient should be placed on a hard surface, the right iliac region should be felt. With inflammation of the appendix, its compaction is easily felt. If this seal is pressed down for a while, the pain subsides, and after the hand is removed, it intensifies - this may indicate local peritonitis.

In the early stages of inflammation, the body temperature does not rise above 37.7 ° C, the pulse quickens. Guys are easier to diagnose appendicitis, the symptoms in girls can be similar to signs of gynecological problems.

In this regard, first of all, girls are sent for examination to a gynecologist. Unfortunately, given adolescence, the child does not always complain about minor pains, sometimes he even hides it on purpose, being afraid to end up in the hospital. The parent should pay attention to unnatural posture or other changes in behavior.

One of the non-obvious signs is considered to be a tilt to the right, a slight lameness on the right leg, the patient prefers to sit down neatly, as if sparing the right side.

The main sign is a depressed state - a teenager wants to lie on his left side and lie down with his legs tucked in. Possible tearfulness, isolation.

Abnormal location of the appendix

There are anomalies in the location of the appendix. Not only the intensity of pain sensations, but also diagnostic methods, and even the manifestation of signs depend on where the organ is located:

The appendix can be located behind the cecum, the nature of the pain is not so obvious, there are unpleasant sensations in the groin area and in the right part of the lower back. The development of inflammation is accompanied by frequent urination and pain in the ureters.
Perhaps the pelvic location of the appendix. With this option, the pain may be completely absent or be mild. It is localized in the perineum or in the lower abdomen. Inflammation manifests itself as impaired urination and liquid feces with mucus.
When located behind the peritoneum, inflammation of the appendix is characterized by discomfort in the groin, ureters and in the lumbar region. There may be pain in the abdomen.
The location of the appendix under the hepatic dome changes the localization of pain in the area of the right hypochondrium, in the same area muscle tension is possible. 5. With an anomaly in the reverse location of the organs, all the signs will be similar, but their localization will change to the left side.

Treatment

At the slightest suspicion of appendicitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. Self-medication can prevent a specialist from making a diagnosis in time. The use of an anesthetic will blur the clinical picture, the teenager will not be able to objectively assess his feelings during the examination. The use of laxatives or enemas will increase the pressure on the vestigial process and may lead to its rupture.

Warm compresses will accelerate the development of inflammatory processes. In no case should pain be ignored - even with mild pain in the appendix area, it is better to consult a doctor.

Treatment of acute appendicitis is possible only surgically. To relieve the condition, you can apply a cold compress to the abdomen. You need to lie in a comfortable position and refrain from water and food.

The operation is possible by laparoscopic and laparotomic methods under general anesthesia. The procedure is carried out at any age, it is not complicated, and the period of the procedure does not take more than an hour. Under standard conditions, adolescents are discharged on the fifth day after surgery. To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor must examine and interview the patient, get a general urine and blood test.

You may need x-rays and ultrasound. Also, the doctor needs to exclude the development of diseases with similar symptoms: SARS, a number of acute viral infectious diseases (measles, chicken pox, scarlet fever), possible pathologies of intestinal development, inflammatory processes in the lungs and ureters. Signs of the development of these diseases are similar to the symptoms of acute appendicitis.

Possible Complications

If medical assistance is not provided on time, the onset of an acute gangrenous stage of the disease is possible. Intoxication of the peritoneal organs occurs, the teenager complains of a deterioration in well-being. If qualified assistance is not provided, blood poisoning is likely.

Manifestations of acute gangrenous stage:

The child clearly determines the place of pain.
Body temperature rises, nausea, sweating, weakness increase.
tachycardia begins.
Delusional states are possible. To prevent inflammation of the appendix, a teenager must eat right, regularly empty the intestines from feces, and prevent inflammatory diseases. It is important to treat any inflammation to the end.

The appendix performs certain functions necessary for the body of a teenager - it is a repository of beneficial microflora, protects the digestive tract from inflammatory diseases. The immune function of an organ is dangerous for itself, so it becomes inflamed under the right set of circumstances. Early symptoms of appendicitis in adolescents aged 15 years and older are similar to those in adults. What can not be said about children of 13-14 years of age. It is quite difficult to determine the signs of appendicitis in a teenager.

Etiology of development at a young age

The causes of appendicitis are currently not precisely established. Experts say that this disease develops against the background of an inflammatory process, for the development of which mechanical conditions are necessary: the presence of bacteria in the intestinal area and blockage of the lumen of the appendix with feces. In the appendix, when it is removed, they often find husks from seeds, bones, and even small parts from toys.

Do not self-medicate children and adolescents. If the causes of abdominal pain are not clear, call an ambulance!

Primary symptoms of inflammation

It is most difficult to diagnose appendicitis in children who are just entering adolescence - 13-year-olds. They cannot yet explain the exact signs of the disease. Therefore, the main task of parents is to monitor and timely seek qualified help, and the doctor is to prescribe tests and hardware diagnostics.

Finding out on your own why a child’s stomach hurts is very difficult. Early signs of the disease in adolescents under 13 years of age are not typical. Diagnosis is complicated by the fact that the organ may not be located in its anatomical place. Accordingly, early symptoms (signs) of the disease can indicate anything:

When localized under the hepatic dome, the liver “as if” hurts.
If the appendicitis is in the pelvic area, it hurts in the lower abdomen and above the pubis.
When the organ is located next to the bladder, there is an increase in urination and its soreness.
If the appendix is behind the caecum, the child feels pain in the lower back. She can also give in the groin.
The appendix, located near the rectum, causes pain during bowel movements when it becomes inflamed.

The earliest symptoms (signs) of the disease in children under 13 years old are depression, a desire to lie on their left side and tuck their legs. Also characteristic are whims, tearfulness, unwillingness to touch the stomach. Possible vomiting.

A little older adolescents - at the age of 14 - have slightly easier symptoms. They already correctly describe the signs of malaise: where it hurts the most, where the pain came from, how intense it is. Usually early symptoms are painful sensations in the navel or “under the pit of the stomach”. After a couple of hours, the pain lets go and is localized on the right, in the iliac region, if the organ is located typically. She is even, without contractions and seizures, exhausting, not allowing her to sleep normally. Vomiting is possible (once or twice). The temperature rises to 37.5-38.0 ° C, but may remain normal.

At the age of 14, children often show signs of acute appendicitis. The complexity of diagnosis lies in the fact that such a patient does not immediately get to the doctor. The child goes to school for several days and leads a fairly active lifestyle until the condition worsens dramatically. The result of prolonged inflammation of the appendix is a violation of the integrity of its membrane and its perforation. Diffuse purulent peritonitis develops, fraught with death if the patient is not provided with emergency surgical care.

In adolescents at the age of 15, diagnosing appendicitis is easier than in 13-14-year-olds. They can clearly explain when the first symptoms appeared, where the pain was localized, whether it moved after the onset and where.

Parents can try to independently determine appendicitis in a 15-16-year-old child:

Lay your teenager down on a flat, hard surface.
Gently palpate the right iliac region. With a successful scenario, it is possible to grope for a small seal - the appendix.
Push hard on him. It will cause pain. Wait for it to subside and release abruptly. If a teenager is in pain, this is a sign of acute appendicitis.
Ask your teenager to cough. If this action responds with pain in the lower right abdomen, the suspicion of acute appendicitis is obvious.

Early symptoms (signs) of the disease in adolescents aged 15-16 are the same as in adults. Their body is already almost formed, all organs have taken their places. It is more difficult to determine appendicitis in girls than in boys. Female representatives experience puberty, and the problems associated with it are quite likely - ectopic pregnancy, cysts, inflammatory processes in the appendages. Signs of appendicitis can be disguised as them.

In adolescents, a sharp increase in body temperature during illness is not typical, but possible. The usual indicators are 37.5-37.7 ° C. The pulse rate is much higher than it should be at this temperature.

A teenager aged 15-16 may not inform his relatives about the early signs of his illness for some time. In such a situation, close supervision by the parents comes to the fore. If a teenager walks with an unnatural posture (the body is slightly tilted to the right side), tries to carefully step on his right leg when he sits down, first touches the seat with his palm and only then gently "lands on the fifth point" - there are signs of an inflammatory process in the vermiform appendix.

Stage of disease progression

In the absence of timely medical care, an acute gangrenous or phlegmonous form of the disease develops. This stage of disease progression is the most dangerous.

Symptoms of appendicitis in children in this case are associated with infection of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity. The cells of the appendix die, so the pain syndrome may recede. In this case, intoxication of the body occurs, which is accompanied by a deterioration in the well-being of the child. He starts to delirious. If left untreated, blood poisoning occurs.

The main manifestations of the advanced stage of appendicitis in children 13-15 years old:

A clear definition of the area of localization of pain in the abdomen.
Increased nausea and increased body temperature up to 38.0 ° C.
Weakness and sweating, tachycardia more than 90 bpm.
The presence of peritoneal signs: tension of the muscular wall of the abdomen, lag of the right iliac pain during breathing, increased pain when pressing on the abdomen, followed by releasing.

In adolescents by the age of 13, in complicated cases, there is a sharp severity of hyperthermia. There is intense anxiety. Multiple vomiting is possible.

What should be done

If appendicitis is not treated on time at the age of 14-16, then a purulent process develops inside the body. In the absence of timely surgical treatment, there are high risks of complications that pose a serious threat to the life of a teenager: these are perforation of the walls of the organ, peritonitis, pylephlebitis of the liver veins, intestinal obstruction, appendicular infiltrate and sepsis.

Treatment of appendicitis is carried out only surgically. To alleviate the patient's condition before the arrival of an ambulance, you can do the following:

Apply an ice pack to your stomach.
Never give painkillers.
Refrain from drinking water and food.
Lay the child on the bed in such a way that he takes a comfortable position.

How to prevent

Proper nutrition and regular bowel movements are of great preventive importance. It is important to treat inflammatory diseases in time. Appendicitis develops rapidly and can often have an atypical course. For any ailment, consult a doctor, whether it be fever, dyspeptic disorders or abdominal pain.

The appendix is an important organ of the human body. With its inflammation in adolescents, do not hesitate: take action already when the first signs of appendicitis appear. The disease develops rapidly, with characteristic manifestations and can cause severe complications. To prevent this from happening, a quick examination in a hospital and an operation are necessary if the diagnosis is confirmed.