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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease vary with the severity of the condition. Usually signs and symptoms appear shortly after birth, but sometimes they're not apparent until later in life.
Typically, the most obvious sign of Hirschsprung's disease is a newborn's failure to have a bowel movement within 48 hours after birth.
Other signs and symptoms in newborns may include:
- Swollen belly
- Vomiting, including vomiting a green or brown substance
- Constipation or gas, which might make a newborn fussy
- Diarrhea
In older children, signs and symptoms can include:
- Swollen belly
- Chronic constipation
- Gas
- Failure to gain weight
- Fatigue
References
- What I need to know about Hischsprung disease. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hirschsprungs_ez/. Accessed Feb. 1, 2013.
- Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Feb. 1, 2013.
- Gunnarsdottir A, et al. Modern treatment of Hirschspring's disease. Scandinavian Journal of Surgery. 2011;100:243.
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