7 week old - inguinal hernia

[pixiekid]

Discovered my ds has a hernia. My doctor admitted he had very little experience & that i should just monitor it. He seemed quite dismissive, saying it was rare for babies to get them even though my ds was pre-term and both me and my brother both had them as babies. I'm now really worried about it strangulating and constantly worrying. Should I be pushing for a referral tp a pediatrician?

Yes!

My D who is now 9 had a double hernia operation at 3 months old, after discovering a bulge in his scrotum one afternoon when he was about 8 weeks old. I freaked and dialed 999 not knowing what it was and the ambulance man said it was a hernia, I then got referred to a consultant who said it needed repairing in case in got any bigger and became strangulated, he had an operation 3 weeks later as he developed on on the other side. He had it done at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital as we lived in Putney at the time.

Go back to the GP or another one at the surgery and ask/demand for a referal to a peadeatrician (terrible spelling!) so you can at least get seen and get on a wait list.

DS's hernias never became strangulated, but it was a constant worry, the hospital said 'not to let him get too distressed' so he was stuck to me like clue for 3 weeks!

Let me know if you need any more details, the operation went really well and as i said he's 9 now and you cannot see any scaring at all!

Yes, get a second opinion as soon as you can, be forceful if you need to.

My son had one diagnosed at about a month old (after two trips to the GP to prove we weren't being paranoid). Once the more experienced GP confirmed it, I was suprised by how quickly my son was referred for surgery and then operated on. It's not an emergency, but it is urgent.

There's no need to be paranoid in the meantime, and while it is obviously worrying for a little baby to have surgery, this is a very common proceedure for a paediatric surgery team. I think about one per cent of infants and young children have them or develop them, so it is not that rare.

Yes, definitely seek a second opinion. DS1 has ended up having 2 (one on each side) and DS2 has had one so far. Both have had them removed. They are quite common in small boys and a strangulated hernia can be serious. If it comes and goes, take a photograph of it.

You should get referred to your local hospital and they will organise a date for an operation. Depending on how old, it may require a night stay. DS1 had his first one at 5 months and that was day surgery.

Thanks. Went back to my doctor who has agreed to refer. Fingers crossed it comes through soon...

Glad you got the referral. don't stress too much in the meantime!

Glad you have been referred.

My son had a strangulated hernia at 3 weeks old. Quite a scary time with his symptoms. He was operated on and it went very quickly ( even if it feels like a lifetime to the parents). He is now nearly 5 and you can barely see his scar. Unfortunately it seems one of his testicles has been affected as it is not growing as the other side .

My Ds's main symtoms of his strangulated hernia was pain, not feeding, and a jelly blood substance that came from his bowel

Fingersd crossed you will not have to wait too long for your appointment.

yes, DS2 had one, we showed GP, ref to hosp, quick consult, pencilled in a date for op, about 4 weeks end-to-end (he was 12 weeks at op date)

the scar is in his leg/groin crease, for cosmetic reasons; now age 10 only his father and I can spot it

the op was very quick, in and out in a day