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What are the symptoms of intussusception in children?
It’s important to note that not all children experience the same symptoms or serious side effects. The first sign of intussusception in an otherwise healthy child is normally sudden, loud crying caused by abdominal pain.
Young children will often pull their knees to their chest when experiencing this intense abdominal pain. The pain is episodic, and usually occurs every 15 to 20 minutes at first. The episodes last longer and occur more frequently as time passes.
If your child is suffering from any of the following symptoms, seek medical advice immediately:
- Stool containing blood or mucus
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Runny nose
- Severe allergic reaction
- A lump in the abdomen
- Weakness and/or lethargy
- Temporary diarrhea
Recently, My Vaccine Lawyer's founding partner Paul Brazil was interviewed by Jodie Fleischer of NBC4 Washington. The interview covered vaccine injuries such as Intussusception and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, a federal compensation program for serious adverse events following a vaccine in the United States. Paul and Jodie also discuss the relative risk of these injuries and the lack of public knowledge about the VICP.
How is intussusception diagnosed?
Physicians will begin by reviewing the history of the patient's symptoms, and can often even feel a sausage-shaped lump in the abdomen. A pathological lead point of intussusception is normally confirmed by:
- Physical examination
- Abdominal imaging, including either an ultrasound
- X-ray or computerized tomography (CT)
Intussusception reveals itself in the form of a “bulls eye,” representing the intestine coiled within itself. Tears or perforations are also visible with imaging.
How do you treat intussusception?
Intussusception requires emergency medical care in order to avoid severe dehydration, infection and shock. Depending upon the severity of the intussusception, there are 2 standard treatments available.
The first is a water soluble contrast or air enema. This procedure begins with a small, soft tube being inserted into the rectum. A radiologist will then pump air or a water soluble contrast agent to push the bowel back to its normal length.
Normally, this procedure is enough to fix the intussusception and no further treatment is necessary. Of note, there is a small risk of tear or rupture of the bowel associated with this technique.
In more severe cases, where the intestines are torn or perforated, surgery is required. Surgical intervention to repair small bowel intussusception involves freeing the portion of the intestine that is trapped and then clearing the obstruction. If necessary, also removing any of the intestinal tissue that is no longer functional. Intussusception recurs in up to 20% of all cases, prompting repeat treatment.
Intussusception treated early is key to preventing severe outcomes; therefore, parents should monitor for symptoms such as severe abdominal pain and seek prompt medical intervention.
How does the rotavirus vaccine cause intussusception?
The most common vaccine that can trigger Intussusception is the Rotavirus vaccine. An oral vaccine, administered similarly to that of the oral polio vaccine. There is a small risk (approximately 2 in 100,000) of intussusception occurring within a week after the first dose or second dose.
Studies suggest a causal relationship between the two, pointing at increased gut motility (movement of food through the body's digestive system) as a result of a mimicked viral infection in many cases of intussusception. Rotavirus disease is common in infants across the world, with nearly every child in the world being infected with a natural rotavirus infection at least once by the age of five, and in some cases, even older children.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is paired with the Vaccine Injury Table, which lists vaccines covered by the program and each severe illness associated with every vaccine. The table specifically lists intussusception in the context of the rotavirus vaccine as of October 22, 1998.
This table functions in three ways:
- Specify vaccines covered by the VICP
- Specify injuries eligible for compensation associated with specific vaccines
- Establish an expected time frame for the onset of symptoms of the specific injury
According to the Table, the appropriate time frame for the first intussusception symptoms or onset manifestation is between 1 and 21 days following the first or second (but not third) dose of the vaccine.
The benefits of rotavirus vaccination greatly outweigh the risks of not receiving it and contracting the rotavirus infection itself, but infants should not receive the rotavirus vaccine if they have had previous episodes of intussusception, intestinal obstruction, bowel obstruction or have moderate to severe diarrhea or vomiting.
How to report a vaccine injury
In the wake of a rotavirus vaccination injury, you should immediately notify your doctor's office. Be sure to provide the date of vaccination, the vaccine administrator's information and the site of injection (i.e., left or right arm.) Your medical provider will ensure that you begin a course of treatment to best address your symptoms. Additionally, you should:
- Call your doctor as some vaccine injuries can be life-threatening if left untreated;
- Tell your doctor exactly what happened, the date and time of your vaccine, and shoulder it was given;
- Ask your doctor to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System ("VAERS") form.
- Hire a vaccine injury attorney to protect your rights and ensure potential financial compensation.
VAERS stands for the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is a program managed by the CDC. The program processes submitted reports of vaccine injuries and adverse events from those who have been injured.
It’s important to note that VAERS does not diagnose those who have been injured with a vaccine injury. Rather compile data about reported adverse reactions for the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration in hopes of improving vaccine safety measures for immunization practices in the future. There are no restrictions to who can file a VAERS report and it’s often used as supplemental evidence in vaccine cases when determining the onset of an injury or symptoms.
Compensation for intussusception from a rotavirus vaccine
If you or a loved one suffered an allergic reaction, illness, or other adverse effects after receiving a Rotavirus vaccine, you may qualify for compensation from a government program called the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund.
Contact My Vaccine Lawyer for a free case evaluation. Our law firm focuses almost exclusively on vaccine injury claims and has recovered over $40 million for vaccine injury claims since 2019.
