Hirschsprung Disease
Alternate Names : Congenital Aganglionic Megacolon
What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
Indications of this disease usually begin within a few days after birth.
Rarely, symptoms do not appear until childhood or even adulthood.
In an infant, symptoms include:
not passing the first bowel movement, called meconium, within the first 24 to 48 hours after birth
difficulty having a bowel movement
watery stools if bowel movements do occur
swelling of the abdomen
vomiting
rapid breathing as the disease progresses
irritability
In older children symptoms include:
passing small, ribbon-like, or watery stools. Stools are passed only rarely.
chronic constipation
lack of appetite
poor weight gain
decreased rate of growth
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