Gallbladder symptoms in children : what can be done to prevent gallbladder disease?
Each morsel we consume will be broken down (digested) to absorbable nutrients and that is why the entire process takes many hours to fully digest food. The fats break down into fatty acids and glycerol, protein in the food breaks down into amino acids, and the complex starches break down to sugars. The water aids in the break down process and therefore digestion is more of hydrolysis.
The liver which is an organ hidden under the ribs and the gall bladder which is located beneath the liver and the pancreas which is located just beneath the antrum do not form the part of the alimentary canal, yet are considered most important organs aiding in digestion. Liver secretes bile which helps in emulsification of fats and the bile that is produced in liver is actually held in gallbladder. The gallbladder however develops gallstones and it can be inflamed when it is called cholecystitis or simply gallbladder disease. This is one of the commonest of the digestive diseases warranting even hospitalization.
Gallbladder inflammation due to stones or calculi has become a common problem in the adult population. But the incidence of this in children is changing its status from being uncommon to common lately. Ultrasound scan will reveal the cause for gallbladder symptoms in children though; either due to cholelithiasis (stones in the gallbladder) or cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation). However, early gallbladder symptoms in children if detected an emergency and hospitalization can be avoided.
Early presentation symptoms should not neglected but presented to physicians for better clarity on gallbladder disease. The gallbladder symptoms in children include but aren’t limited to sudden onset of pain in the RUQ of abdomen which is the foremost. The physician can look for Murphy sign in the RUQ (its arrest of expiration upon palpation). Children may complain of pain onset immediately after eating fatty food and may even complain of nausea and vomiting.
Gallstone distribution differs significantly in children as compared to adults, as the cholesterol stones seen in adults and pigment stones dominating among the children.
About 50% of gallstones are pigment stones in children, and these develop when the bile saturates with chemicals such as calcium bilirubinate (calcium salt of bilirubin).These stones are common in those children having hemolytic disorders. The stones though are caught only in x-ray or ultrasonography (when the stone size is very small then the ultrasound scan becomes a loser) and doctors then go for blood test, presence of serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase are indicators for gallbladder disease.
Similar to adults the treatment for cholelithiasis and/or cholecystitis is symptomatic and if stones are reason laparoscopic cholecystectomy continues to be the standard. To prevent recurrence of the gallstones in children, doctors recommend modifications in diet and lifestyle.
Detecting early gallbladder symptoms in children is the first right step to effectively treating it. Do not hesitate to discuss all the options with the physician and ask him to recommend the best one treatment for your child. To know more about gallbladder symptoms in children and treatment alternatives to please feel free to check here: http://www.