Many readers are familiar with the term “small intestinal gas,” which is known by the scientific name “inguinal hernia” and is more common in infants under one year of age, 10 times more common in boys than girls, and more common in premature babies. When bathing or touching your baby, pay attention to whether there is a lump in your baby’s groin or scrotum, or whether there is a lump that appears from time to time. Especially if your baby cries a lot for no reason, it is necessary to ask your doctor to help determine this. Currently, surgery is the most reliable way to treat small intestinal gas in babies. The incidence is 1-4%, 10 times higher in boys than in girls, and even higher in premature babies, with a tendency to develop on both sides. What is “small intestine gas”? It turns out that the organs in the baby’s abdominal cavity come out of their normal parts or enter another part through a weak point or defect that exists at birth or is formed later in life. Simply put, the organs in the tummy go somewhere else. For “small intestine gas”, must not be ignored. Xie Xiaohua said, “Small intestinal gas” in babies can lead to lower abdominal cramps, bloating, abdominal pain and constipation, which can affect the normal activities and growth of the baby. The inguinal hernia in boys can also affect the normal development of the testicles. In serious cases, the hernia contents can become embedded and cause serious complications such as intestinal obstruction and intestinal necrosis, which can be life-threatening if not treated in time. Therefore, baby’s hernia should be detected and treated as early as possible. How can I know if my baby has a “small bowel hernia”? Inguinal hernia occurs in children under one year of age and often appears as a bulging mass in the right, left or bilateral inguinal area and scrotum after crying or strenuous activity, at which point the baby should be considered to have an inguinal hernia and should be taken to the doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis. The protrusion does not retract naturally (usually, the protrusion is more obvious and increases in size when the baby is upright or coughing, etc. It may retract completely into the abdominal cavity when lying down and reappear when upright or coughing); the protrusion is accompanied by pain, crying and refusal to be touched; abdominal pain, bloating and vomiting; constipation or blood in the stool. Prevention: Don’t let your baby stand up too early The occurrence of “small intestine gas” in babies has congenital factors, but the acquired influence is also very important, “do your homework” can be prevented. Xie Xiaohua reminded, do not wrap the child’s abdomen too tightly during infancy, so as not to increase intra-abdominal pressure. Don’t let your child stand up too early, so that the intestines don’t fall down and form an inguinal hernia. Let your baby eat more easily digestible foods to keep the stools flowing. When your child has dry stools, take laxative measures and avoid your child from straining to relieve stools. Babies suffering from cough should take some cough medicine under the guidance of the doctor to prevent them from coughing too much. In addition, avoid your child crying loudly to prevent the abdominal pressure from rising. Although hernia is more common in boys, it can also occur in girls. In girls, hernias often occur when the ovaries and fallopian tubes enter the hernia sac. Treatment: Surgery is a reliable treatment Surgery is the most reliable treatment for small bowel gas in babies and is usually performed with a high ligation of the hernia sac, which is safe and does not take long. In the past, the surgery was performed by making an incision in the inguinal region, which was about 4 to 125 px long. in recent years, with the development of laparoscopic techniques, mini-laparoscopic high ligation of the hernia sac is less invasive and avoids the residual incision scars of traditional surgery. Laparoscopy can also detect contralateral occult hernia, which can be treated simultaneously and avoid secondary surgery.