Appendicitis

Symptoms can vary widely among children, but can include: 

• continuous tummy pain around the belly button 
  • tummy pain will sometimes move to lower right side of the tummy and become sharper and more severe 
  • tummy pain will often get worse with coughing or walking 
• a low fever
• loss of appetite 
• nausea (feeling sick) 
• vomiting 
• constipation  
• diarrhoea.

Take your child to see your doctor, or to an after-hours clinic immediately if they have any symptoms of appendicitis.

If you can’t get in to see a doctor urgently, take your child straight to your hospital’s accident and emergency department. 

The treatment for appendicitis is an operation to remove the appendix before it bursts. If you think your child has appendicitis, take them to your doctor immediately.