Umbilical Hernia In Children: Home Treatment

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Home Treatment

Home treatment is not appropriate for an umbilical hernia. Folk remedies, such as strapping a coin over the hernia or using a band or a strap to try to make it smaller, do not help. These remedies may even make the problem worse, such as by causing an infection or by cutting off the blood supply to the tissue inside the hernia, which could lead to emergency surgery.

Your doctor will want to examine your child regularly to see if the hernia has begun to close. Be sure to go to all appointments for these exams and for regular childhood checkups. Also, watch for any signs of complications related to the hernia, such as strangulation, that may require immediate treatment.

After surgery

If surgery is needed to repair an umbilical hernia, home treatment can help your child during recovery.

A child who has just had surgery to repair an umbilical hernia will need pain medicine, such as Tylenol, for a couple of days or longer. Follow your doctor's instructions on how to care for the wound until it heals, such as keeping the surgical site clean and dry. Continue to watch the incision area as it heals. Immediately report any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, pain, drainage, or fever.

Be sure to keep all appointments for follow-up exams. Your doctor needs to make sure the area heals properly and that problems do not develop.

Last updated:	January 23, 2008
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Brad W. Warner, MD - Pediatric Surgery
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC