An umbilical hernia looks like a bulge around your child's belly button. The Cleveland Clinic reports that umbilical hernias occur in one of every six children and are most common in African-Americans. If your child was premature or a low birth weight baby, he will have a greater risk of developing an umbilical hernia.
Causes
As your baby develops in the womb, the abdominal organs form on the outside of the body and then return to the abdominal cavity in the 10th week of gestation. An umbilical hernia develops when the abdominal wall fails to close around the abdominal organs.
Symptoms
Umbilical hernias can be visible in your child's abdominal area. The hernia may be painful when you press on your child's abdomen. An incarcerated hernia will develop if the muscular defect traps the intestines. An incarcerated hernia will cause a red, firm bulge and the pain will increase and become severe. This requires immediate medical intervention and you should seek advice from your physician.
Diagnosis
No special testing is needed to diagnose this condition. Your child's pediatrician will diagnose the hernia by doing a physical examination. Your physician will wait until your child is 3 to 5 years old before he proceeds with repairing the hernia. This allows your child's body time to repair the hernia on its own.
Treatment
If your child's hernia has not healed on its own, then your child will need surgery to repair the defect. Your physician will schedule outpatient surgery to repair your child's umbilical hernia. Your physician will make a small circular incision around the belly button to repair the hernia. Your physician will use dissolving stitches or a special surgical glue to close the wound.
