5 Things You Need to Know About Umbilical Hernia

1. Bulge in the Belly Button

A umbilical hernia is one that occurs in the navel, or belly button area. This type of hernia can occur in newborns and usually heals on their own by the time the child is three or four years old. An umbilical hernia occurs most often in newborns because while they are in utero, their abdominal organs develop outside of the body before moving into the belly through what eventually becomes the umbilicus. This type of hernia occurs in around 10 to 20 percent of all newborns, but is most common in African Americans, low birth weight newborns and premature babies.

2. Cough, Please

The umbilical hernia can cause an area around the belly button to look swollen or bulging. Sometimes it may not even be noticeable unless the baby coughs, cries or strains. The bulge can disappear when the infant is laying down on their back or when they stop crying. A doctor will also be able to gently push the budge back through the weakened area during an examination.

3. Incarcerated Hernias Damage Intestines

Occasionally, the intestines of the newborn get caught in the herniation. This can cause severe pain and must be dealt with immediately. When this occurs, an incarcerated hernia is the result and the area becomes red and hardens. If not looked at by a doctor quickly, an incarcerated hernia can cause severe damage to the newborn's intestines. However, this type of complication is not common.

4. Give Me Some Options

Umbilical hernias that do not close on their own, are very large in diameter or have become incarcerated, require surgery to close and repair. To do this, the surgeon makes a small cut at the base of the navel and pushes the intestines back into the abdomen. He then repairs the muscle through many different layers of stitching and possibly the use of a mesh screen to reinforce the area before closing. This is usually an outpatient procedure, but for children with other conditions, an overnight stay might be required.

5. Tell Me My Future

Once an umbilical hernia has closed, or is surgically closed, it is highly unlikely the child will experience a herniation in that area again. But, it is more likely the child will experience another umbilical hernia if an infection occurs after surgical repair.