Symptoms of HSCR usually show up during the first weeks of life. Newborns with HSCR don't have their first bowel movements when they should. This simply means that they lack to pass meconium within the first 24-48 hours. These babies may also vomit a green liquid called 'bile' after eating and their abdomens may become 'distended' or 'swell'. Discomfort from gas or constipation might make them distressed. They also may present with poor feeding. Sometimes, babies with HSCR develop infections in their intestines. Some infants may have normal health for several months or years in response to changes of feed (breast-feeding), laxatives, suppositories or enemas and can delay diagnosis into later childhood. In this case, older children with HSCR usually present with chronic constipation while others may have more diarrhoea than usual. Children with HSCR might also have anaemia, a shortage of red blood cells, because blood is lost in the stool.
What is the cause of HSCR?
How is HSCR diagnosed?
Careful physical examination is required, and physical findings are dependent upon the age at presentation and the severity of the condition. Establishing the diagnosis also includes undergoing a number of medical tests. To find out if a person has HSCR, the doctor will do some of these tests:
• Abdominal X-ray: An x-ray is a black-and-white picture of the inside of the body. This test may indicate a bowel blockage.
• Barium Enema: The doctor puts 'barium (a chalky liquid) through the anus into the intestine before taking the picture. Barium is a liquid that coats the inside of organs in order to make the intestine show up better on the x-ray. In places where the nerve cells are missing, the intestine looks too narrow.
• Manometry: This determines whether normal reflexes involving the rectum and the anus are present. Used only in older children, the test is non-invasive and can be performed at the bedside. The doctor inflates a small balloon inside the rectum. Normally, the anal muscle will relax. If it doesn't, HSCR may be the problem.
• Rectal Biopsy: This procedure is absolutely essential to finalise the diagnosis of HSCR. A sample of cells in the rectum is taken, and nerve cells are then looked for under a microscope. This is the most accurate test for HSCR. The doctor removes and looks at a tiny piece of the intestine under a microscope. If the nerve cells are missing, HSCR is the problem.
What is the cause of HSCR?
How is HSCR diagnosed?
Careful physical examination is required, and physical findings are dependent upon the age at presentation and the severity of the condition. Establishing the diagnosis also includes undergoing a number of medical tests. To find out if a person has HSCR, the doctor will do some of these tests:
• Abdominal X-ray: An x-ray is a black-and-white picture of the inside of the body. This test may indicate a bowel blockage.
• Barium Enema: The doctor puts 'barium (a chalky liquid) through the anus into the intestine before taking the picture. Barium is a liquid that coats the inside of organs in order to make the intestine show up better on the x-ray. In places where the nerve cells are missing, the intestine looks too narrow.
• Manometry: This determines whether normal reflexes involving the rectum and the anus are present. Used only in older children, the test is non-invasive and can be performed at the bedside. The doctor inflates a small balloon inside the rectum. Normally, the anal muscle will relax. If it doesn't, HSCR may be the problem.
• Rectal Biopsy: This procedure is absolutely essential to finalise the diagnosis of HSCR. A sample of cells in the rectum is taken, and nerve cells are then looked for under a microscope. This is the most accurate test for HSCR. The doctor removes and looks at a tiny piece of the intestine under a microscope. If the nerve cells are missing, HSCR is the problem.