European journal of pediatric surgery : official journal of Austrian Association of Pediatric Surgery ... [et al] = Zeitschrift für Kinderchirurgie
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Since home confinement for novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, pediatric visits to the emergency department (ED) have decreased, including consultation for abdominal pain. Our aim is to investigate the incidence of complicated acute appendicitis (AA; peritonitis or appendicular mass) during confinement for COVID-19 pandemic and to compare it with the previous 5 years. ⋯ Delayed ED visit of children with AA during home confinement lead to an increased rate of complicated appendicitis. It is crucial to make parents aware of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of abdominal pain.