Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease

Symptoms of Hirschsprung's disease are usually noticeablefrom soon after a baby is born, although occasionallythey're not obvious until a child is a year or two old.

Signs of the condition in a baby include:

  • failing to pass meconiumwithin 48 hoursthe dark, tar-like poo that healthy babies pass soon after being born
  • a swollen belly
  • vomiting green fluid (bile)

Signs in older infants and children include:

  • a swollen belly and a tummy ache
  • persistent constipation that doesn't get better with the usual treatments
  • not feeding well or gaining much weight

If your child develops a bowel infection (enterocolitis), they may also havea high temperature (fever) and watery, foul-smelling diarrhoea .

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018