Hirschsprungs Disease
Introduction
Source: NHS
In this topic (8)
Hirschsprung's disease is a rare condition that causes poo to become stuck in the bowels. It mainly affects babies and young children.
Normally, the bowelcontinuously squeezes and relaxes to pushpoo along, a process controlled by your nervous system.
In Hirschsprung's disease, the nerves that control this movement are missing from a section at the end of the bowel, which means poo can build up and form a blockage.
This can cause severe Constipation , and occasionallylead to a serious bowel infection called enterocolitis if it's not identified and treated early on.
However, the condition is usually picked up soon after birth and treated with surgery as soon as possible.
This page covers:
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease
How Hirschsprung's disease is diagnosed
What causes Hirschsprung's disease?
Articles for Hirschsprungs Disease
How Hirschsprung's disease is diagnosed
Your child's tummy will usually be examined and sometimes a rectal examination may be carried out.This is where a doctor or nurse inserts a finger into the back passage (rectum) to feel for abnormali
Information about your child
If your child has been affected byHirschsprung's disease, your clinical team will pass information about him or her on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDR
Introduction
Hirschsprung's disease is a rare bowel condition that mainly affects babies and young children. Read about the symptoms, causes and treatments.
Outlook for Hirschsprung's disease
Most children are able to pass stools normally and have a normal functioning bowel after surgery, althoughthey may take a bit longer to toilet train. Some may experience persistent constipation and n
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease are usually noticeablefrom soon after a baby is born, although occasionallythey're not obvious until a child is a year or two old. Signs of the condition in a baby
Treatments for Hirschsprung's disease
All children with Hirschsprung's disease will need surgery. As they wait for surgery, theymay need to: stop having milk feeds and instead be given fluids directly into a vein havea tube passed thr
What causes Hirschsprung's disease?
The muscles of the bowel are controlled by nerve cells called ganglion cells. In Hirschsprung's disease, these ganglion cells are missing from a section at the end of bowel, extending up from the anus
When to get medical advice
Visit your GP if your child develops the symptoms described above. Hirschsprung's disease can be serious if left untreated, so it's important to get help as soon as possible. If your GP suspects the
