Inguinal Hernia On Baby Boy

Most inguinal hernias happen in boys.

Inguinal hernia on baby boy. How are inguinal hernias diagnosed. A hernia occurs when a part of the intestine pushes through a weakness in the belly muscles. A doctor should always see your child for a hernia diagnosis. If it fails to close before birth then the child is at risk of having an inguinal hernia.

The story of the inguinal hernia begins during a baby s development. Then a loop of intestine can move into the inguinal canal through the weak spot in the belly wall. Some of the intestine is poking out through this hole. Inguinal hernias usually occur in newborns.

When a baby boy is growing in the womb the testicles first grow in his belly. Normally a baby s inguinal canal closes shortly before or after birth. The photo on the left shows a swelling above the groin on the baby s right side. What is a hernia.

Key points about an inguinal hernia in children. Babies born early or who have a family history of hernias are more likely to develop one. We do not know why this happens in some babies but not in others. There are two types of inguinal hernias.

A small hole has developed in the muscle in the baby s groin. An inguinal in gwin al hernia is a hernia that occurs in the groin. Inguinal groin hernias are quite common and are present in around 1 in 6 premature babies. An inguinal in gwa nul hernia is an internal opening in the inguinal canal which is located within the abdominal or belly wall.

For example about one third of baby boys born at less than 33 weeks gestation will have an inguinal hernia. What is an. Given this it is not surprising that inguinal hernias are more common in premature infants. An inguinal hernia can look like a swollen testicle testes or it can look like a swelling in or above the groin.

These hernias usually require an operation. When that happens in the groin area it s called an inguinal hernia. Inguinal hernias in children result from a weakness in the abdominal wall that is present at birth. The right side photo shows a hernia on the left side you can see the testes is swollen and the swelling extends into the groin.

In both boys and girls this tunnel is supposed to seal off prior to the baby being born. In boys an inguinal hernia may extend into the scrotum pouch of skin containing the testes. Inguinal hernias occur in boys more frequently than in girls. This causes an inguinal hernia.

Of the newborns who have inguinal hernias 90 are boys. Boys are up to eight times more likely than girls to have an inguinal hernia. The bulge in the groin might only be noticed when the child is crying coughing or straining during a bowel movement or it might appear to be larger during these times. Infants who are born prematurely are at an increased risk of having an inguinal hernia.