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Article: Pediatric abdominal pain--is it appendicitis?
- Article from:
- Pediatrics for Parents
- Article date:
- December 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Pediatrics for Parents, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Appendicitis has most likely plagued man for centuries. Fortunately, today, the outlook for patients who develop appendicitis is generally excellent. Doctors do not know why the appendix exists, as it seems to serve no useful purpose. The absence of one's appendix has no impact on one's quality of life.
The appendix is a hollow tube located at the beginning of the large intestine and is filled with bacteria. Only when these bacteria become trapped in the appendix do problems with appendicitis develop. An understanding of the body's responses to the infection is helpful when deciding if appendicitis may be present.
The typical symptoms of appendicitis ...