Who is affected by intussusception?


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Who is affected by intussusception?


Intussusception is most frequently diagnosed in children who are between 3 months and 5 years of age. About 60% of children who develop intussusception are 1 year of age or younger; most are between 6 months and 11 months.1 The condition is about three times more common in males than in females.2

The cause of intussusception is often unknown in children who are younger than 5 years of age. Children older than age 5 are more likely than younger children to have an underlying condition that leads to intussusception, such as polyps.

References


Citations

  1. McCollough M, Sharieff GQ (2003). Abdominal surgical emergencies in infants and young children. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America, 21(4): 909–935.

  2. Sondheimer JM (2005). Intussusception section of Gastrointestinal tract. In WW Hay Jr et al., eds., Current Pediatric Diagnosis and Treatment, 17th ed., pp. 637–638. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Credits


Author Amy Fackler, MA
Author Debby Golonka, MPH
Editor Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor Pat Truman
Associate Editor Terrina Vail
Primary Medical Reviewer Michael J. Sexton, MD

- Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer Brad W. Warner, MD

- Pediatric Surgery
Last Updated August 22, 2006

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Last updated: August 22, 2006
Author: Debby Golonka, MPH
Reviewed By: Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Brad W. Warner, MD - Pediatric Surgery
Editors: Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Terrina Vail

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