A ‘stomach ache’ was misdiagnosed as a viral infection when it was actually appendicitis – can the symptoms overlap? (Image credit: CNN)
The latest book from bestselling author Alice Paul Tapper, daughter of CNN anchor Jake Tapperwas inspired by a near-fatal health crisis she faced in 2021. Titled “Use Your Voice” and illustrated by Fanny Liem, the book chronicles Alice’s hospitalization in 2021 due to severe stomach pain, chills, and vomiting, which was eventually diagnosed as appendicitis. Recently, in an interview, she revealed that she was in a lot of pain but doctors were unable to diagnose the cause.
In an interaction with the media, he said, “I started having stomach pains and vomited several times. It progressively got worse. I was soon admitted to a hospital where I was diagnosed with viral infection“When I was 14, I listened to the doctors and trusted them to diagnose me. But I felt like something was seriously wrong, as I couldn’t straighten my legs when I was hospitalized because everything was tight and painful. I told them I was in so much pain. Things changed when my father called the hospital director and within nine minutes I was having an ultrasound and an X-ray, and I had never had any imaging tests done before. Then the hospital staff diagnosed that something was seriously wrong with my appendix,” she said.
“From that point on, everything changed in terms of my care. I was still in pain because my appendix had ruptured, because it had been so long. I went into septic shock, hypovolemic shock, and I had to be rushed to the ICU,” Alice said.
She added that this book will help children to stand up for themselves and make them realise that they need to speak their mind and use their voice. “The characters in the book that are part of the pain chart are my way of showing my thought process from when I was sick, and I hope that readers will enjoy them while also understanding the need to listen to their own bodies,” Alice said.
How did everything go so wrong?
Alice’s mother soon discovered the research of Dr. Prashant Mahajan, vice chair of Emergency Medicine and chief of the division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Mahajan’s studies reveal that although appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children, it can go undetected in up to 15 percent of cases at initial presentation.
That’s because there are numerous possible causes of abdominal pain. Appendicitis can look like other common conditions like constipation and acute gastroenteritis, which the pediatricians at the hospital misdiagnosed in my case. According to experts, up to half of patients with appendicitis may not have the typical symptoms of right lower quadrant pain, fever, and vomiting.
Her research also indicates that misdiagnoses of appendicitis are more common in children under 5 and in girls. “I was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that girls are not always listened to or taken seriously,” Alice said.
How do you know if you have appendicitis pain?
Appendicitis is a painful inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a small, thin pouch about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long. It is connected to the large intestine, where stool is formed.
According to research, appendicitis usually begins with a pain in the middle of the abdomen that may come and go. Within hours, the pain moves to the lower right side, where the appendix is usually located, and becomes constant and intense.
Pressing on this area, coughing, or walking can make the pain worse. You may lose your appetite, feel unwell, and occasionally have diarrhea.
Appendicitis can occur at any age, but is most common in young people ages 10 to 20.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.