What is a hernia? In layman’s terms, a hernia is an empty “hole” in the abdominal wall (belly), medically known as a defect in the abdominal wall, into which the small intestine or omentum can burrow, so that when viewed from the outside, there is a lump at the base of the thigh or in the scrotum, which is often referred to as This is often called “small intestine gas”. In the navel, it is called “umbilical hernia”. Why does a hernia appear in a child? This problem also begins with embryonic development. In males, the two testicles originally (as an embryo) grow below the kidneys. As the embryo develops and grows, they slowly, little by little, move downward. By the time of birth, they have entered the scrotum. As the testicle moves, it leaves a space called the “sphincter”. Most children are born with this sheath already closed by itself, so most children do not show a hernia. However, sometimes, for various reasons, the sphincter does not close in a small number of children and it communicates with the abdominal cavity, resulting in a pediatric hernia, also known as a congenital hernia. In female children it is the ligament of the garden of the uterus that passes through and sometimes closure is impaired and therefore also manifests as a hernia. Is a hernia a very common condition in children? Yes. Pediatric hernia is a common pediatric surgical condition. Incomplete statistics show that the incidence of inguinal hernia in children is 1% or more, and more than 21% in premature infants. The incidence is generally 10 times higher in boys than in girls. It manifests at birth, but is more pronounced around 3 months of age, and in some children it occurs at more than 1 year of age. When a child has a hernia, there is usually no obvious discomfort, and the mass is only seen above the scrotum/labia when crying, running, and other situations of excessive force, and disappears after being quiet, making it difficult for parents to detect. Babies who cry, cough, or become constipated frequently will cause increased intra-abdominal pressure and are more likely to develop a hernia. A hernia may be small, but it should not be taken lightly! As the child grows up, the repeatedly protruding hernia mass may become larger and larger. Once the intra-abdominal pressure is too high, or the hernia mass is too large to be returned, it may lead to intestinal intussusception and strangulation, which can cause serious complications such as intestinal obstruction and necrosis in severe cases, endangering life. Can a pediatric hernia be observed? How long is appropriate? Generally, for masses that can go back on their own without much problem, most babies’ hernias still have a chance to close on their own within one year of age, and the sphincter will close on its own. In other words, it can still be observed during the period around one year old. If the sphincter does not close after one year of age, surgery may be needed. How to treat pediatric hernia? How to treat pediatric hernia, says Prof. Chen: surgical treatment is a reliable treatment, and a hernia belt (brace) can be used for children who are temporarily unfit for surgery. At present, laparoscopic minimally invasive treatment, i.e. high level ligation of the hernia sac, is a precise and reliable surgery at this stage. The procedure is short (5-10 minutes) and the recovery is fast. Here is a warning to those parents: do not believe the words of those untrue advertisements, what herbal postings, what injection therapy are fraudulent hooks! At present, we have seen some children in the clinic, they have spent money and suffered, and also brought trouble and risk to the future treatment. Don’t be fooled. With a hernia must go to a regular hospital for treatment.