Appendicitis Surgery for Children

A pediatric appendectomy (the surgical removal of the appendix) is among the most common emergency surgeries for children. You can trust the our expert team to treat your child quickly.

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Explore Our Pediatric Appendectomy Services

To schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric general surgeons, call:

954-265-0072

Pediatric appendicitis is among the most common emergencies for children, and it can be scary for your whole family. Trust the expert team at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to treat your child quickly.

What Is Pediatric Appendicitis?

The appendix is a small, tube-shaped organ in the lower right side of your child’s belly. An infected appendix can cause appendicitis. Pediatric appendicitis might seem like a stomachache at first. Common symptoms include:

Strong pain that becomes steady and intense, mainly around the belly button (navel) or lower right part of the abdomen
Swollen belly
Low-grade fever
Loss of appetite
Nausea (feeling queasy) and vomiting (throwing up)
Diarrhea (especially small amounts, with mucus)

Does My Child Need Appendicitis Surgery?

An infected appendix needs to be treated as soon as possible to reduce the chance it will burst into the abdomen, causing a dangerous infection in your child’s body. If you think your child has appendicitis, our Emergency Medicine Departments can evaluate and treat appendicitis in children.

Our Pediatric Emergency Department Locations:

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How We Care for Pediatric Appendicitis

In some circumstances, we can provide nonoperative treatment of appendicitis using only antibiotics. But in most cases, a surgeon removes the infected organ through a procedure called pediatric appendectomy. Our pediatric surgery team offers:

Dedicated specialists: As a full-service, free-standing children’s hospital, we specialize in the unique needs of children. Our surgeons have extensive experience performing pediatric appendectomies.
Advanced technology: Sometimes we use a traditional, “open” approach for appendectomy. But often, we can use minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy. Using this technique, the doctor operates through one or more tiny incisions while viewing an enlarged image of the internal organs on a monitor.
Less downtime: Smaller incisions require fewer stitches, which can help your child recover more easily and comfortably than with traditional appendicitis surgery. In many cases, our surgeon can remove the appendix on an outpatient basis, so your child generally can go home the same day if there are no complications.