What causes an umbilical hernia in babies?
An umbilical hernia happens when intestine, fat, or fluid pushes through a weak spot or hole in your baby’s stomach muscles. This causes a bulge near or in the belly button, or navel. It may look like your child’s belly button is swollen. Many children have an umbilical hernia at birth.
How can I prevent my baby from getting a hernia?
How Are Umbilical Hernias Treated?
- Give anesthesia so the child sleeps through the procedure and won’t feel any pain.
- Make a small incision (cut) in the skin.
- Move the intestine back into place.
- Close the hole or weak spot in the muscle with stitches.
What causes baby hernias?
Shortly after the baby is born, the inguinal canal closes. This stops the testicles from moving back into the abdomen. If this area does not fully close, a part of the intestine can move into the canal through the weakened area of the lower belly wall. This causes a hernia.
When should I worry about my baby’s umbilical hernia?
If a child who has an umbilical hernia has the following symptoms, seek emergency care right away: pain in the area of the hernia; tenderness, swelling or discoloration of the hernia; an inability to easily push in the hernia tissue; and vomiting or constipation.
Do umbilical hernia belts work for babies?
The short version : This belt got rid of our baby’s hernia in 4 weeks! The long story: At one month our baby boy developed a hernia. Doctor said it was “normal” and would go away on its own in 4 to 5 YEARS, and if not they would do surgery. He also said it doesn’t hurt or cause problems.
Is hernia surgery safe for babies?
We recommend repair of all groin hernias regardless of age. Inguinal hernia repair surgery is a safe and common procedure, especially when performed by the trained pediatric surgeons at CHOC. The surgery usually takes one hour.
How do I know if my baby has an umbilical hernia?
Symptoms of umbilical hernia include: A slight swelling or even a bulge near the belly button. The spot becomes larger and harder when the baby cries, coughs, or strains, due to the increase of pressure on the abdomen. Under normal circumstances, the hernia is not painful to the touch.
Do umbilical hernias go away in babies?
Most of the time, a hernia that starts before 6 months of age will go away by 1 year of age. But some children get or still have an umbilical hernia when they are infants or toddlers. Umbilical hernias almost always close on their own as a child grows. But sometimes surgery is needed.
How do they fix an umbilical hernia?
During umbilical hernia repair, the surgeon makes a small cut of about 2 to 3cm at the base of the belly button and pushes the fatty lump or loop of bowel back into the tummy. The muscle layers at the weak spot in the abdominal wall where the hernia came through are stitched together to strengthen them.
What happens if a baby has a hernia?
When your child has an inguinal hernia, you can usually see a bulge in the groin or scrotum. The bulge will typically come and go. It may get bigger after your child is straining or crying. It may go away or get smaller during the night while your child is asleep or relaxed.