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Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

If your child has signs and symptoms common to mesenteric lymphadenitis, make an appointment with your family doctor or a pediatrician. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.

Information to gather in advance

• Write down your child's symptoms, including nonabdominal symptoms. Include details about when you first noticed these symptoms and how they may have changed or worsened over time. If possible, take your child's temperature several times before your appointment and record the results.
• Write down your child's key medical information, including any other health conditions and the names of all medications, vitamins and supplements your child is taking. Also bring a record of your child's recent vaccinations. If your child has been seen for similar signs and symptoms in the past, bring those medical records, if possible.
• Write down key personal information, including any recent changes or stressors in your child's life.
• Write down questions to ask your doctor. Creating a list of questions in advance can help you make the most of the time with your doctor.

For possible mesenteric lymphadenitis, some basic questions to ask include:

• What is the most likely cause of my child's condition?
• Are there any other possible causes?
• What tests does my child need?
• Should I feel his or her abdomen for tenderness? If so, how do I do this?
• Is my child at risk of complications from this condition?
• Does my child need treatment? If this is due to an infection, should my child be on antibiotics?
• What can I do to help make my child more comfortable? What foods should my child avoid?
• What signs or symptoms should prompt me to call you while my child is recovering?
• Is my child contagious? Should our family be using antibacterial hand lotion?
• When can my child return to school?

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to speak up if you don't understand something.

What to expect from your doctor
To help in diagnosing your child's condition, your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

• When did your child begin experiencing abdominal pain?
• Where is the pain located?
• Has the pain moved from one part of your child's abdomen to another part?
• How severe is the pain? Does your child cry with pain?
• What makes the pain more severe?
• What helps relieve the pain?
• Do your child's symptoms include nausea? Vomiting?
• What other signs and symptoms does your child have?
• Has your child had similar problems before? Did you seek medical care for him or her? If so, do you have medical records of that visit.
• Do any other children in your family or at school or child care have similar but milder symptoms that you know of?
• Has your child been diagnosed with any other medical conditions?
• What medications is your child taking?

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