3 Appendicitis Signs A Doctor Never Wants You To Ignore

Kids can suffer tummy ache for a whole host of reasons – from anxiety, to stomach bugs, to urinary tract infections (UTIs) and constipation.

But one underlying reason which always requires medical investigation is appendicitis, which is where the appendix, which forms part of the bowel, becomes swollen and infected.

If left untreated, it can burst, which can be very painful and life-threatening.

Appearing in a segment on This Morning, Dr Ana Alcock, a paediatric emergency medicine consultant, spoke of the “really worrying [appendicitis] sign” which would require a trip to A&E.

She said: “So, it’s normally part of three things: they normally have fever, they vomit, and they have tummy pain – and it’s often tummy pain that starts around the belly button and then moves down onto that right lower side.”

Typically this movement of pain happens over 24-48 hours. The pain “doesn’t move around, it’s not soft; it’s constant and it’s really painful”, said the expert.

If children have appendicitis, they won’t be able to jump, hop or twist as it will be too painful.

“They just want to lie still and not be touched,” she added. “So if you’re not sure whether to worry, get them to do a hop, or a jump, or a cough, because it just jiggles thing inside.”

Per the NHS, appendicitis can also cause symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea, feeling nauseous, loss of appetite, or peeing more than usual.

If the appendix bursts, the pain may get better for a short time before returning at extremely severe levels and spreading to the rest of the abdomen. This is a medical emergency.

If a child’s stomach pain is gradually getting worse, doesn’t go away, or moves to the lower right side of their stomach, call NHS 111.

If they have severe pain in their stomach, become confused, have blotchy or paler than usual skin, or experience difficulty breathing, call 999 or go straight to A&E.

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain in children and adults.

Around 50,000 appendicectomies (urgent surgery to remove an inflamed appendix) are performed each year in the UK.