Question
My child, who is 8 years old, started having occasional abdominal pain last Wednesday, accompanied by nausea and loss of appetite, as well as a lack of energy. The pain is located in the upper abdomen near the navel. Is it possible to be appendicitis?
Answer
Pediatric appendicitis usually has a rapid course, with the time from onset to the appendix becoming purulent and infected, or even gangrenous, potentially being quite short. Based on the description provided, the child’s symptoms may indicate either acute or chronic appendicitis. Diagnosing appendicitis requires detailed medical history inquiries and physical examinations. Abdominal pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and systemic symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of energy, fever, etc.) are common in appendicitis. Tenderness and rebound pain in the lower right abdomen may be signs of appendicitis. However, it is difficult to determine if it is appendicitis based solely on the description. A definitive diagnosis of appendicitis requires a professional medical judgment.