children s health issues
Meckel Diverticulum
Symptoms of Meckel Diverticulum
Most children with a Meckel diverticulum have no symptoms, and many adults learn they have the condition only after surgeons discover it while doing surgery for another reason. The most common symptom among children younger than 5 years is painless rectal bleeding, which comes from ulcers in the small intestine caused by acid secreted by the diverticulum. Because of the bleeding, stools may appear bright red or brick-colored or currant jelly–colored because of a mixture of blood and mucus. Sometimes, stool appears black because of the breakdown of blood. Only rarely is the bleeding so severe that the child needs emergency surgery. In all ages, obstruction causes cramping abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Diverticulitis caused by a Meckel diverticulum causes severe abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, and vomiting and can easily be confused with Appendicitis in Children . 