Patient's question:
Child, now two months old, has developed a hernia. The doctor suggested I wait and see first. This situation is suitable for either doing surgery now or waiting until the child is older to see how it progresses. How is the hernia treated in babies?Doctor's answer:
How to treat infant hernia depends on the baby's age and the nature and severity of the hernia. Generally speaking, if an infant under one year old has a hernia, it cannot be treated unless it is incarcerated. In daily life, it is important to avoid violent crying in the baby, temporary observation is acceptable, and there is a possibility of self-resolution; but once the baby shows signs of incarceration, it is necessary to seek medical attention promptly, perform manual reduction, and emergency surgery may be required if necessary. If the baby is over one year old and the hernia has not disappeared on its own, and the symptoms are relatively prominent, then elective surgery can be considered.