Hirschsprung Disease (cont.)
What causes Hirschsprung's disease?
Hirschsprung's disease develops before a child is born. Normally, nerve cells grow in the baby's
intestine soon after the baby begins to grow in the womb. These nerve cells grow
down from the top of the intestine all the way to the anus. With Hirschsprung's disease, the nerve
cells stop growing before they reach the end.
No one knows why the nerve cells stop growing. But we do know that it's not
the mother's fault. Hirschsprung's disease isn't caused by anything the mother did while she was
pregnant.
Some children with Hirschsprung's disease have other
health problems, such as Down's syndrome and
other rare disorders.
If I have more children, will they have Hirschsprung's disease too?
In some cases, Hirschsprung's disease is hereditary, which means mothers and fathers could pass
it to their children. This can happen even if the parents don't have Hirschsprung's disease. If you
have one child with Hirschsprung's disease, you could have more children with the disease. Talk to
your doctor about the risks.
What are the symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease??
Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease usually show up in very young children. But sometimes they
don't appear until the person is a teenager or an adult. The symptoms are a
little different for different ages.
Symptoms in Newborns
Newborns with Hirschsprung's disease don't have their first bowel movement when they should.
These babies may also throw up a green liquid called bile after eating and their
abdomens may swell. Discomfort from gas or constipation might make them fussy.
Sometimes, babies with Hirschsprung's disease develop infections in their intestines.
Symptoms in Young Children
Most children with Hirschsprung's disease have always
had severe problems with constipation. Some also have more diarrhea than usual.
Children with Hirschsprung's disease might also have anemia, a
shortage of red blood cells, because blood is lost in the stool. Also, many
babies with Hirschsprung's disease grow and develop more slowly than they should.
Symptoms in Teenagers and Adults
Like younger children, teenagers and adults with Hirschsprung's disease usually have had severe
constipation all their lives. They might also have anemia.
Those with anemia look pale and tire easily.
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