Can an umbilical hernia in a baby heal on its own?

Umbilical hernia in infants is relatively common and often occurs in newborns. It is a common disease. Generally speaking, this disease does not require special treatment. As the child grows and develops, many children will gradually recover. Of course, we must also be vigilant that some children have not fully recovered when they are one or two years old. At this time, it may cause certain symptoms and affect the child's health.

Can an umbilical hernia in a baby heal on its own?

As the child grows and develops, the abdominal wall muscles also develop, and the umbilical ring can gradually shrink until the umbilical hernia eventually disappears. According to statistics, the vast majority of children with umbilical hernia can heal themselves before the age of 2. Despite this, some parents still want to take some measures to control the development of umbilical hernia. Many parents put homemade cloth belts around their children, or even use coins to press on the umbilical ring in an attempt to stop the umbilical hernia from bulging outwards, but the effect is not ideal.

main reason

Children's abdominal circumference varies greatly when they are full and hungry, and cloth belts often become loose and lose their function. In addition, the skin of newborns and babies is delicate, and using hard objects such as coins may cause local inflammation or damage, which may backfire. If you really want to use a cloth belt, it is best to use one with a certain degree of elasticity and the right size; it should not affect the child's normal eating. Some people advocate using wide medical tape to wrap around the umbilical hernia like a belt to treat it. Although this method is effective, it may also damage the skin, so it must be implemented under the guidance of a doctor.

In fact, most umbilical hernias do not need to be treated for the time being. When the child is 3 months old, the unreasonable crying will inevitably decrease, and the umbilical hernia will be on the path of self-healing. Only a very small number of children with umbilical hernia never heal. They can go to the hospital for umbilical ring repair treatment after 2-4 years old.

Can an umbilical hernia in a baby heal on its own? From the above introduction, we can understand that the vast majority of children can recover on their own before the age of two. But some children cannot recover on their own. If a child has an umbilical hernia, parents are advised to observe the child for a period of time. If it can heal on its own, that would be best. If the umbilical hernia cannot heal on its own, surgery can be performed to treat the umbilical hernia after the child is two years old.