Inguinal Hernia

When an organ or tissue in the body pushes through an opening or weak spot in a muscle, it can end up in a space where it doesn’t belong. The result is a hernia, which may look like a bulge or lump. The most common type of hernia in children is an inguinal hernia, in which a portion of the intestine pushes through the groin muscle. This causes a bulge that often is painful.

Hernias can develop at any point in your child’s life, and some are present at birth. In some cases, the bulge is visible only when your child is crying, coughing, standing or straining. In other cases, it is visible all the time.

Surgery is required to put the tissue or intestine back in place and repair the muscle, a scary thought for parents of a newborn, infant or toddler. But inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common types of surgery performed on children.

They’ll work with your pediatrician to discuss your options and will be with you and your child through diagnosis, surgery and recovery – to ease the pain, repair the muscle and get your son or daughter back to normal as quickly as possible.