Hirschsprung’s Disease

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Hirschsprung’s Disease is a a rare congenital problem where the nerves to parts of the large bowel have not developed, so the bowel muscles cannot move in the normal way and poo is not moved through the large bowel. Severity varies from having a short section of bowel affected near the bottom to having no nerve input to any of the large bowel. Treatment is with surgery, usually soon after birth. Children affected by Hirschsprung’s Disease may have long-term problems with constipation and bowel control.

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