Life on your own brings challenges, successes
I am an adult. It is somewhat hard to believe this as I am sitting here wearing my raspberry lip gloss and my hair in double braids. I'm grooving to pop star Teddy Gieger and the teen magazine I've been flipping through is open to the story about boys.
I am an adult, though. These past few months have made me grow up faster than ever. Perhaps it's because Mom is almost 1,500 miles away and can't take care of me the way she used to. She always was there to lean on when it came to responsibility, and I always was scared of having to take over my life completely after moving away from home.
But I have managed to do it all on my own since January and I must admit it's been quite the experience.
Setting up the electricity and Internet service in my name was a big step. I even had to fight with the phone company because they charged me more than they had initially promised. The fight didn't end up in my favor. They won, but offered me 50 percent off my first month's bill. It's a good lesson -- you probably can't win against big corporations, but if you're persistent enough, you might get something out of it.
Paying rent every month is another thing I have had to get used to. This is my very first real apartment. (I lived in on-campus apartments in college, so this is a bit different.) Rent comes out of my pocket now and I have to remember to pay it at the first of the month instead of with tuition like in my previous experience. It's working out and there's nothing better than walking into your apartment knowing you worked for it.
During my full-time job hunt I have managed to get full-time freelance work with multiple publications. With this, I've learned the art of negotiation. Many offers for freelance work have come my way (exciting, right?!), so some of them have had to be turned down because of lack of time. I used this opportunity to ask for a pay increase for my hourly rate, and with a confident pitch, my wish was granted! It's nice to be in the adult-world where hard work literally pays off.
With no full-time job, though, I had to find insurance on my own, which is kind of scary. But I found there are a lot of programs that companies offer for people right out of college (be sure to research all of them if this is your situation too). Choosing a primary-care physician is kind of exciting, though. This is when it really hits that you are in the grown-up world.
So, with all this new-found responsibility, instead of calling Mom and asking her what to do, I'm actually calling her to tell her of my adulthood successes. Does this mean I'm actually looking forward to doing taxes and worrying about my 401k? Well, as long as I still feel young at heart, then bring it on.
Intussusception
Intussusception occurs when a segment of bowel telescopes (similar to closing of a telescope) into a segment just distal to it. It is the most common cause of intestinal (bowel) obstruction (blockage) between 3 months and 6 years of age. The ileocolic (small bowel into the colon) intussusception is the most common type although it may occur anywhere in the small bowel and colon.
Anatomy
The demarcation between the duodenum (1st part of small bowel) and the jejunum (2nd part of small bowel) is the ligament of Treitz (see Surgery of the Duodenum) (Figure 1)
The jejunum makes up about one third of the proximal small bowel
The ileum is the distal two thirds of the small bowel
The jejunum, ileum, and associated mesenteries (supporting and suspending structures) are attached to the back wall of the abdomen. They are completely covered with peritoneum (single layer of cells that line the surface of the abdomen and bowel)
The ileum joins the cecum (first part of the colon) in the right lower quadrant at the ileocecal valve near the appendix
The small bowel possesses an extensive lymphatic network that aids in the absorption of nutrients. It drains from the bowel wall into adjacent lymph vessels and lymph nodes and ultimately getting into larger lymphatics that finally empty into the left subclavian vein. The lymphatics of the small bowel play a major role in immune response (response to infection)
Pathology
The telescoping process is known as intussusception (Figure 2)
The leading proximal segment (intussusceptum) almost always telescopes into the distal segment (intussuscipens)
There may be a leading edge in the form of a polyp, inverted appendiceal stump, Meckel's diverticulum (See Surgery of the Jejunum and Ileum) or tumor
The leading edge gets caught up in the downstream peristalsis (wavelike action of the bowel wall that propels food) and is pulled into the distal bowel
In most cases the cause is unknown but viruses are thought to induce hyperplasia (increased size) of Peyer's patches (lymphoid tissue) in the end of the ileum
Glossary for Intussusception
Abdominal pain: Pain in the abdominal area or stomach.
Acute Appendicitis: Infection of the appendix
Bowel Obstruction: Blockage in the bowel of the digestive tract.
Colorectal Polyps: Polyp growths in the colon or rectum.
Diverticular Disease: Protrusions of the colon wall (diverticulosis) or their inflammation (diverticulitis)
Gangrene: Tissue death
Intestinal obstruction: Blockage in the intestines of the digestive tract.
Vomiting: Vomiting or retching symptoms.
Statistics by Country for Intussusception
Prevalance of Intussusception:
Incidence (annual) of Intussusception: about 2 per 1000 cases in infants
Incidence Rate for Intussusception: approx 1 in 500 or 0.20% or 544,000 people in USA [about data]
Extrapolation of Incidence Rate for Intussusception to Countries and Regions: The following table attempts to extrapolate the above incidence rate for Intussusception to the populations of various countries and regions. As discussed above, these incidence extrapolations for Intussusception are only estimates and may have limited relevance to the actual incidence of Intussusception in any region:
Country/Region
Extrapolated Incidence
Population Estimated Used
Intussusception in
North America (Extrapolated Statistics)
USA
587,310
293,655,4051
Canada65,015
32,507,8742
Mexico209,919
104,959,5942
Intussusception in Central America (Extrapolated Statistics)
Belize545
272,9452
Guatemala28,561
14,280,5962
Nicaragua10,719
5,359,7592
Intussusception in Caribbean (Extrapolated Statistics)
Puerto Rico7,795
3,897,9602
Intussusception in
South America (Extrapolated Statistics)
Brazil368,202
184,101,1092
Chile31,647
15,823,9572
Colombia84,621
42,310,7752
Paraguay12,382
6,191,3682
Peru55,088
27,544,3052
Venezuela50,034
25,017,3872
Intussusception in Northern Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Denmark10,826
5,413,3922
Finland10,429
5,214,5122
Iceland587
293,9662
Sweden17,972
8,986,4002
Intussusception in Western Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Britain (
United Kingdom)
120,541
60,270,708 for UK2
Belgium20,696
10,348,2762
France120,848
60,424,2132
Ireland7,939
3,969,5582
Luxembourg925
462,6902
Monaco64
32,2702
Netherlands (
Holland)
32,636
16,318,1992
United Kingdom120,541
60,270,7082
Wales5,836
2,918,0002
Intussusception in Central Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Austria16,349
8,174,7622
Czech Republic2,492
1,0246,1782
Germany164,849
82,424,6092
Hungary20,064
10,032,3752
Liechtenstein66
33,4362
Poland77,252
38,626,3492
Slovakia10,847
5,423,5672
Slovenia4,022
2,011,473 2
Switzerland14,901
7,450,8672
Intussusception in Eastern Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Belarus20,621
10,310,5202
Estonia2,683
1,341,6642
Latvia4,612
2,306,3062
Lithuania7,215
3,607,8992
Russia287,948
143,974,0592
Ukraine95,464
47,732,0792
Intussusception in the Southwestern Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Azerbaijan15,736
7,868,3852
Portugal21,048
10,524,1452
Spain80,561
40,280,7802
Georgia9,387
4,693,8922
Intussusception in the Southern Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Italy116,114
58,057,4772
Greece21,295
10,647,5292
Intussusception in the Southeastern Europe (Extrapolated Statistics)
Albania7,089
3,544,8082
Bosnia and Herzegovina
815
407,6082
Bulgaria15,035
7,517,9732
Croatia8,993
4,496,8692
Macedonia4,080
2,040,0852
Romania44,711
22,355,5512
Serbia and Montenegro
21,651
10,825,9002
Intussusception in Northern Asia (Extrapolated Statistics)
Mongolia5,502
2,751,3142
Intussusception in Central Asia (Extrapolated Statistics)
Kazakhstan30,287
15,143,7042
Tajikistan14,023
7,011,556 2
Uzbekistan52,820
26,410,4162
Intussusception in Eastern Asia (Extrapolated Statistics)
China2,597,695
1,298,847,6242
Hong Kong s.a.r.
13,710
6,855,1252
Japan254,666
127,333,0022
Macau s.a.r.
890
445,2862
North Korea45,395
22,697,5532
South Korea96,467
48,233,7602
Taiwan45,499
22,749,8382
Intussusception in Southwestern Asia (Extrapolated Statistics)
Turkey137,787
68,893,9182
Intussusception in Southern Asia (Extrapolated Statistics)
Afghanistan57,027
28,513,6772
Bangladesh282,680
141,340,4762
Bhutan4,371
2,185,5692
India2,130,141
1,065,070,6072
Pakistan318,392
159,196,3362
Sri Lanka39,810
19,905,1652
Intussusception in Southeastern Asia (Extrapolated Statistics)
East Timor2,038
1,019,2522
Indonesia476,905
238,452,9522
Laos12,136
6,068,1172
Malaysia47,044
23,522,4822
Philippines172,483
86,241,6972
Singapore8,707
4,353,8932
Thailand129,731
64,865,5232
Vietnam165,325
82,662,8002
Intussusception in the Middle East (Extrapolated Statistics)
Gaza strip
2,649
1,324,9912
Iran135,006
67,503,2052
Iraq50,749
25,374,6912
Israel12,398
6,199,0082
Jordan11,222
5,611,2022
Kuwait4,515
2,257,5492
Lebanon7,554
3,777,2182
Saudi Arabia51,591
25,795,9382
Syria36,033
18,016,8742
United Arab Emirates5,047
2,523,9152
West Bank
4,622
2,311,2042
Yemen40,049
20,024,8672
Intussusception in Northern Africa (Extrapolated Statistics)
Egypt152,234
76,117,4212
Libya11,263
5,631,5852
Sudan78,296
39,148,1622
Intussusception in
Western Africa (Extrapolated Statistics)
Congo Brazzaville
5,996
2,998,0402
Ghana41,514
20,757,0322
Liberia6,781
3,390,6352
Niger22,721
11,360,5382
Nigeria35,500
12,5750,3562
Senegal21,704
10,852,1472
Sierra leone11,767
5,883,8892
Intussusception in
Central Africa (Extrapolated Statistics)
Central African Republic7,484
3,742,4822
Chad19,077
9,538,5442
Congo kinshasa
116,634
58,317,0302
Rwanda16,477
8,238,6732
Intussusception in
Eastern Africa (Extrapolated Statistics)
Ethiopia142,673
71,336,5712
Kenya65,964
32,982,1092
Somalia16,609
8,304,6012
Tanzania72,141
36,070,7992
Uganda52,780
26,390,2582
Intussusception in Southern Africa (Extrapolated Statistics)
Angola21,957
10,978,5522
Botswana3,278
1,639,2312
South Africa88,896
44,448,4702
Swaziland2,338
1,169,2412
Zambia22,051
11,025,6902
Zimbabwe7,343
1,2671,8602
Intussusception in Oceania (Extrapolated Statistics)
Australia39,826
19,913,1442
New Zealand7,987
3,993,8172
Papua New Guinea10,840
5,420,2802
Cure Research for Intussusception
Medical research for Intussusception: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to medical research for Intussusception:
Rotavirus vaccine development (Rotavirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis in children, which can cause excessive diarrhea and vomiting, leading to dehydration, occasional hospitalization, and possible death. Immunization against rotavirus was originally available in the late 1990's, however it was shown to increase the risk of intussusception (twisted bowel). Medical health authorities are anticipating the global benefit that the vaccine will bring. )
Doctors and Medical Specialists for Intussusception
Doctors for Intussusception: This section presents information about some of the possible medical professionals that might be involved with Intussusception. Ask your doctor to recommend what other types of doctors, physicians, medical specialists, or other medical professionals should be part of the team for your medical issues.
Doctor and medical specialist list for Intussusception: The following types of doctors or medical specialists have been listed as possibly involved in diagnosis, treatment or management for Intussusception:
Pediatrician (A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats conditions and diseases in children )
Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Intussusception
Underlying conditions list: The list of possible underlying conditions mentioned in various sources for Intussusception includes:
Colon polyp
Colorectal Polyps information: Polyp growths in the colon or rectum.
Colorectal Polyps information: Most types of colorectal cancer begin with polyps (or grape-like growths on the lining of the colon and rectum). Polyps are very common in people over age 50 and usually are benign (not cancerous). But some polyps do develop slowly over the years into cancer, often causing no symptoms. Screening tests can find polyps that can be removed, preventing cancer. Screening tests can also pick up colorectal cancer at an early stage, when it can be cured.
Diverticular disease
Information on Diverticular Disease: Diverticular disease includes both "diverticulosis" which is just protrusion of the colon wall, and "diverticulitis" which is actual inflammation or infection of these protrusions.
Diverticular Disease information: Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots, like an inner tube that pokes through weak places in a tire. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. Pouches (plural) are called diverticula. The condition of having diverticula is called diverticulosis.
Misdiagnosis of Intussusception
Intussusception as an alternative diagnosis: The other diseases for which Intussusception is listed as a possible alternative diagnosis in their lists include:
Acute Appendicitis
Information on Acute Appendicitis
Information on Acute Appendicitis: The main symptom of acute appendicitis is abdominal pain or abdominal sensitivity. However, abdominal pain occurs with many conditions and only an estimated 5% of cases of abdominal pain are actually appendicitis. Although uncommon, appendicitis is very serious, and difficulty in diagnosing appendicitis in the emergency department makes appendicitis the 3rd leading cause of malpractice lawsuits. Misdiagnosis of appendicitis is particularly common in children and infants with abdominal pain with estimates of initial misdiagnosis rates from 28% to 57% for under age 2-12 and almost 100% misdiagnosis for appendicitis in infants.
Acute Appendicitis information: Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a small portion of the large intestine that hangs down from the lower right side. Although the appendix does not seem to serve any purpose, it can still become diseased. If untreated, an inflamed appendix can burst, causing infection and even death. About 1 in 500 people has appendicitis each year.
Appendicitis may occur after a viral infection in the digestive tract or when the tube connecting the large intestine and appendix is blocked by trapped stool. The inflammation can cause infection, a blood clot, or rupture of the appendix. Because of the risk of rupture, appendicitis is considered an emergency. Anyone with symptoms needs to see a doctor immediately.
Complications of Intussusception
Complications list for Intussusception: The list of complications that have been mentioned in various sources for Intussusception includes:
Abdominal colic (see Abdominal pain below)
Bowel obstruction
Gangrene
Bowel perforation
Abdominal pain
Pain in the abdominal area or stomach.
Introduction: Abdominal pain can range from various harmless conditions to extremely severe life-threatening conditions. Any symptom of abdominal pain needs prompt professional medical advice. Sudden and very severe abdominal pain should be treated as a medical emergency.
Abdominal pain is a very common symptom, and also common in children. Unfortunately, many cases of acute appendicitis are misdiagnosed each year as gastroenteritis or some other condition, especially in children and infants. Although appendicitis is an uncommon condition, it can be fatal. And there are many other serious conditions that may cause abdominal pain.
Signs of Intussusception
What are the signs of Intussusception?
The phrase "signs of Intussusception" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Intussusception that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Intussusception" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Intussusception.
The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Intussusception. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Intussusception has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Intussusception signs or Intussusception symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Intussusception may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Intussusception symptoms.
List of symptoms of Intussusception: The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources for Intussusception includes those listed below. Note that Intussusception symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Intussusception signs may often refer to those signs that are only noticable by a doctor:
Severe abdominal colic
Screaming infant
Vomiting
Blood in feces
Bowel obstruction - see also symptoms of bowel obstruction More symptoms of Intussusception: More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Intussusception article. In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by complications of Intussusception, underlying causes of Intussusception, associated conditions for Intussusception, risk factors for Intussusception, or other related conditions.
Diagnostic Tests for Intussusception
Diagnostic Test list for Intussusception: The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Intussusception includes:
Physical examination
Barium enema - this test may also actually resolve the condition in some cases.
Symptoms of Intussusception
General information about signs and symptoms of Intussusception: The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Intussusception. This signs and symptom information for Intussusception has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Intussusception signs or Intussusception symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Intussusception may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Intussusception symptoms.
List of symptoms of Intussusception: The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Intussusception includes those listed below. Note that Intussusception symptoms usually refers to various symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Intussusception signs may refer to those signs only noticable by a doctor:
Severe abdominal colic
Screaming infant
Vomiting
Blood in feces
Bowel obstruction - see also symptoms of bowel obstruction
More symptoms of Intussusception: In addition to the above information, to get a full picture of the possible symptoms of this condition and its related conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by complications of Intussusception, underlying causes of Intussusception, associated conditions for Intussusception, risk factors for Intussusception, or other related conditions.
Risk Factors for Intussusception
Risks factors for Intussusception: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to risk factors for Intussusception:
Childhood gastro preventable with 2 vaccines
A major cause of gastroenteritis in children, rotavirus, now has 2 effective vaccines to protect against the common and occasionally deadly disease. Rotavirus kills 20-70 people each year in America by inducing dehydration that often requires hospitalization. An earlier attempt at a rotavirus vaccine was associated with a slight increased risk of inducing intussusception, or twisting of the bowel, and was removed from the market. Immunization with the 2 new vaccines decreases the amount of inflammation in the intestine, which is responsible for causing diarrhea and therefore dehydration. Studies conducted on the vaccinations found that young children were far less likely to develop the bowel inflammation and therefore the symptoms of rotavirus.
Rotavirus vaccine development
Rotavirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis in children, which can cause excessive diarrhea and vomiting, leading to dehydration, occasional hospitalization, and possible death. Immunization against rotavirus was originally available in the late 1990's, however it was shown to increase the risk of intussusception (twisted bowel). Medical health authorities are anticipating the global benefit that the vaccine will bring.
Causes of Intussusception
Underlying condition causes of
Intussusception: The list of possible underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Intussusception) mentioned in various sources as possible causes of Intussusception includes:
Colon polyp Diverticular disease
Causes of Intussusception: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Intussusception:
Childhood gastro preventable with 2 vaccines
Rotavirus vaccine development
What causes Intussusception?: Related information for Intussusception causes, as with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Intussusception may be found in the risk factors for Intussusception, medications that may cause Intussusception, contagiousness for Intussusception, genetics of Intussusception, and underlying causes of Intussusception.
Prevalence and Incidence of Intussusception
Incidence (annual) of Intussusception: about 2 per 1000 cases in infants
Incidence Rate: approx 1 in 500 or 0.20% or 544,000 people in USA [about data]
Incidence extrapolations for USA for Intussusception: 544,000 per year, 45,333 per month, 10,461 per week, 1,490 per day, 62 per hour, 1 per minute, 0 per second.
Basic Summary for Intussusception
Main name of condition: Intussusception
What is Intussusception?
Brief description of Intussusception: Bowel folding into itself sometimes creating bowel obstruction
Parent types of Intussusception: Bowel Obstruction, Intestinal obstruction
Organs Affected by Intussusception: bowel
How many people get Intussusception?
Incidence (annual) of Intussusception: about 2 per 1000 cases in infants
Incidence Rate of Intussusception: approx 1 in 500 or 0.20% or 544,000 people in USA [about data]
Who gets Intussusception?
Patient Profile for Intussusception: Many cases in infants 1 month to 2 years; other ages possible.
How serious is Intussusception?
Complications of Intussusception: see complications of Intussusception
What causes Intussusception?
Causes of Intussusception: see causes of Intussusception
Risk factors for Intussusception: see risk factors for Intussusception
What are the symptoms of Intussusception?
Symptoms of Intussusception: see symptoms of Intussusception
How is it treated?
Research for Intussusception: see research for Intussusception
Contents for Intussusception
Basic Summary for
Intussusception Prevalence and Incidence of Intussusception
Causes of Intussusception
Risk Factors for Intussusception
Symptoms of Intussusception
Diagnostic Tests for Intussusception
Signs of Intussusception
Complications of Intussusception Misdiagnosis of Intussusception
Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Intussusception
Doctors and Medical Specialists for Intussusception
Cure Research for Intussusception
Statistics about Intussusception
Statistics by Country for Intussusception
Medical News Summaries About Intussusception
Books about Intussusception
Articles about Intussusception
Glossary for Intussusception
Clinical Trials for Intussusception
Surveys relating to Intussusception
