Intussusception

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Symptoms
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Home treatment
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Recommendation: Contact a Doctor

What is intussusception?

Intussusception is when a part of the intestine is pressed into itself, in the same way that a telescope slides over itself.

Usually intussusception happens when the lower end of the small bowel is pressed down into the large bowel (colon). When the walls of the intestine rub against each other, they swell and the intestine becomes blocked. Blood supply to that area of intestine gets cut off, leading to bleeding and mucus secretion. This produces a characteristic bloody diarrhea.

Intussusception is the most common type of intestinal obstruction in children under 6 years of age, and is seen especially in babies between 3 and 12 months.

Intussusception may also appear in older children, for example in connection with inflammation of the appendix, but this is extremely rare. Boys are affected 3 times more often than girls. While the cause of intussusception usually is not known, some cases occur shortly after respiratory or intestinal illnesses, and in children with other intestinal problems.

Symptoms

Symptoms and signs

Children with intussusception generally seem healthy but have sudden attacks of severe abdominal pain.

With the youngest children, this may appear as colic-like episodes of crying, where the child is irritable and inconsolable for periods of time.

Between the crying attacks, which come every 10-20 minutes, the child may seem perfectly well.

The crying episodes are accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. The vomit is greenish in color because of the bile accumulating in the stomach from the blocked intestines. The diarrhea starts out watery and over the course of 12-24 hours turns bloody and slimy ("currant jelly" stools).

In time, the child will become weak and listless, with decreased energy, and the abdomen will become bloated and tender to touch.

It is important to note that not all children have all three classic symptoms of intussusception: crying attacks, vomiting and bloody bowel movements.

Complications

If intussusception is not treated, it can lead to serious illness. Repeated vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration.

Even worse, the intestinal wall can die because its blood supply becomes so limited that holes (perforations) are made in the wall. As a result, stool will leak out into the abdomen, causing infection and even death.

Home treatment

Treatment / What you should do

If you suspect that your child is suffering from intussusception, you must contact a doctor or emergency medical services immediately, as this can be a life-threatening condition. The doctor will review your child's history and examine your child.

If the doctor thinks your child may have intussusception, an ultrasound, x-ray, or other tests may be ordered.

If the intussusception is inside the large intestine (colon), an attempt to reverse it will be made, using a barium or air enema. This is done by pushing barium (a liquid that can be seen on x-ray) or air through the intestines to try to push the colon back into place.

In 3 out of 4 of cases, this is successful and the colon returns to its natural position. If this treatment is not successful, it will be necessary for a surgeon to operate to correct the obstruction. After treatment for intussusception, the child will need to recover in the hospital until the intestines are working normally again.

Prevention

It is not possible to prevent intussusception.

However, to prevent complications from intussusception, it is important that you know about this illness, as a possible reason for severe crying episodes in small children.

Colic does not really happen in any child beyond 3 months of age. It is NOT a common cause for abdominal pain, but it should be considered, especially if vomiting or bloody diarrhea also occurs.

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About Child Health Guide

Child Health Guide (CHG) is a health web site for parents that uses actual video examples of how children look and act during illness and traumatic injuries.

The CHG helps parents by providing clear, easy-to-understand, accessible, actionable information about their child’s condition.

The Child Health Guide is a major advance in the delivery of healthcare information.

The CHG includes video clips of more than 100 of the most common childhood illnesses and injuries. Organized by symptoms and cross-referenced by disease, the CHG enables parents to easily find the information that is most useful to them.

It also has an important section about home-accidents and how to prevent them.

The video clips show children with symptoms at various stages of a disease – both more and less serious. The accompanying “narrative” explains the symptoms, the illness, and what a parent should do.

The CHG is not a substitute for a physician’s advice or a doctor’s office visit.

Rather, it is to help parents better understand and articulate their child’s condition, making visits to the doctor – and follow-up care -- more effective.

Both the videos and supporting text are vetted by physicians at the Harvard Medical School and Dartmouth Medical School.

Terms and Conditions

The "Child Health Guide" is intended to provide helpful, informative material on the subjects addressed. The material reflects the more common circumstances related to a symptom or a condition without any attempt at being all-inclusive. The material is not intended to be a substitute for consultation, evaluation, and treatment by trained medical professionals.

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Intussusception

What is...

What is intussusception?

Symptoms

Symptoms and signs

Complications

Complications

Home treatment

Treatment / What you should do

Prevention

Prevention

Images

Related topics

Partners