What is Hirschsprung disease?
The large intestine is lined with muscles that contract to move stool through the intestine. Hirschsprung disease is a birth defect in which part of the colon (large intestine) is missing the nerves that signal the muscles to contract.
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Stool builds up in the intestine and causes a blockage
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A child with Hirschsprung disease may throw up, refuse to eat, and have a swollen belly
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Doctors do surgery to remove the part of the intestine that is missing nerves
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If not treated, Hirschsprung disease can lead to a fatal infection of the intestines called enterocolitis
What are the symptoms of Hirschsprung disease?
How can doctors tell if my baby has Hirschsprung disease?
How do doctors treat Hirschsprung disease?
Doctors treat Hirschsprung disease by:
Sometimes, if the child is very sick, doctors first do a temporary colostomy. They make a hole in the large intestine and connect it to a hole in the belly. Your baby's poop goes out the hole into a bag until your baby is healthy enough to have another operation. Then doctors do a second surgery to remove the part of the intestine that isn’t working, reattach the working intestine, and seal the opening for the colostomy.
Doctors treat infection (enterocolitis) with:
