Intussuseption - Every Parent Should Know About It

     Intussusception is not a word most parents are familiar with, but every parent needs to know the symptoms of intussusception. It is a condition in which a portion of the bowel pulls into nearby bowel and collapses the bowel segment like a telescope. It results in bowel blockage and, if not diagnosed and corrected, can result in bowel infection, obstruction and death.

     Itntussuseption occurs between 3 months and 6 years of age.  80% of the cases occur under two years of age. It is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be confused with other problems.

     The symptoms begin suddenly. The child begins having bouts of severe, colicky abdominal pain that occur at frequent intervals. During these episodes of pain, the child may cry, bring his legs up and seem like he is straining. He may seem normal between episodes. The diagnosis can be difficult because a child with constipation can have the same kind of cramping.  However, a constipated child usually has a history of recurrent cramps and the cramps usually are associated with meals.

     The child with intussuseption begins vomiting and might develop fever. Finally, the child becomes profoundly weak and lethargic. It is clear that the child is very ill, but the child may be diagnosed as having flu, dehydration or some other infection. One of the key symptoms that points to the diagnosis of intussuseption is that the weakness and lethargy are out of proportion to the diagnosis of flu or dehydration. The vomiting in intussuseption is not accompanied by diarrhea, which also goes against the diagnosis of stomach flu. A child with intussuseption has stools that are small and contain mucous. Finally, 60% of the children have stools that become bloody and are described as looking like currant jelly. These bloody stools give the definite diagnosis of intussuseption, but the child might not have them until late in the disease or not at all.

     What makes the diagnosis even more confusing is that intussuseption can occur when a child has stomach flu or another viral illness. Parents need to watch for intermittant cramping abdominal pain, severe weakness and bloody stools. The diagnosis can be easily confirmed by ultrasound, but delay in diagnosis makes treatment more difficult and increases the risk of serious complictions.