By Dr. Poornima Modi, Pediatrics 

Hernia is caused when an organ or part of the organ develops a protrusion through a weak spot in the abdominal wall of the cavity. You’d be surprised to know that it is even common in children, and babies are often born with them. Hernia repair surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed in the world today, most of them, very successful endeavours. But to detect a case of hernia, know what symptoms may persist in your child.

Symptoms:

1. Appearing Sick
The child may have a fever, and appear sick and irritable. It is advisable to get the child checked by a doctor to rule out a hernia because this may be a very vague sign of a hernia and could be anything.

2. Swelling of Scrotum
The scrotal sac may appear to be unnaturally swollen or bulging, red or dark, especially during crying or straining. It may eventually subside as the child relaxes, but that does not mean you should neglect such an abnormal trait.

3. Formation of Extra Mass
An extra mass may be formed which is often not tender, at the groin. Make sure you get any such outgrowth checked by the doctor.

4. Pain In The Crotch
Perhaps the most common sign that your child has a hernia is an unbearable pain in the scrotal area. This sign demands the most urgency to be checked by a professional doctor.

Surgical Procedure:-

1. To protect a hernia from affecting other organs, a surgery is advisable at the earliest, which can be postponed to maximum a few weeks in premature babies to obtain stabilized lung function.

2. The surgery is performed under sedated conditions. An incision is done, to reach the hernia infected spot, which is then repaired using dissolving stitches, and medicines are given to avoid pain as much as possible.

3. The patient can be released on the same day itself, or can be detained in case of infants for further observation. Your child can return to normal activity soon, even play, within a week at the most.