Pediatric umbilical hernia (belly button)

What is a pediatric umbilical hernia (belly button)?

Before a baby is born, the umbilical cord goes through an opening in the muscle of the abdominal wall. Once the baby is born, the opening should close. Some close more slowly than others. 

Openings that persists more than a couple of weeks after the baby is born allow intestine to come out of the abdomen and cause the skin of the belly button to bulge. This is an umbilical hernia. Some are large and some are small. 

How is a pediatric umbilical hernia (belly button) treated?

At Children's Health we do not typically need to operate on umbilical hernias in babies.

An umbilical hernia:

• rarely cause symptoms

• is very likely to eventually close on its own

• will probably look better if it is not operated on 

Surgery

Umbilical hernias will require an operation if they fail to close by 3 or 4 years of age. The surgery does not require you to stay in the hospital. It involves a small incision that is usually invisible by the time it heals. The abnormal opening is located and put together with stitches which are all underneath the skin. Your child will go home and can eat, drink and play like normal. 

Surgical risks may include infection or that the hernia may come back but both are very rare.