Common Characteristics of Liver Disease in Children

What are some common symptoms of liver disease in children?
When diagnosing liver disease, the physician looks at the patient's symptoms and conducts a physical examination. In addition, the physician may request a liver biopsy, liver enzyme tests, an ultrasound or a CT scan (computed tomography scan).

Liver disease refers to many disease and disorders that cause the liver to function improperly.  Chronic liver disease is the liver working improperly for a prolong period of time.  Chronic liver disease is a disease process of the liver that involves a process of progressive destruction and regeneration of the liver parenchyma leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis.  Chronic liver disease is associated with a number of conditions such as viral causes, toxicity from drugs, metabolic, or autoimmune.


Some common liver disease symptoms include the following, each of which are described briefly below:
  • Jaundice.
  • Cholestasis.
  • Liver enlargement.
  • Portal hypertension.
  • Ascites.
  • Liver encephalopathy.
  • Liver failure.

What is jaundice?
Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to an abnormally high level of bilirubin (bile pigment) in the bloodstream, which is then excreted through the kidneys. High levels of bilirubin may be attributed to inflammation or other abnormalities of the liver cells or blockage of the bile ducts. Sometimes jaundice is caused by the breakdown of a large number of red blood cells, which can occur in newborns. Jaundice is usually the first sign, and sometimes the only sign, of liver disease.

What is cholestasis?
Cholestasis is reduced or stopped bile flow. "Chole" refers to bile and "stasis" means "keeping at the same level." Bile flow may be blocked inside the liver, outside the liver or in both places. Symptoms may include the following:
  • Jaundice.
  • Dark urine.
  • Pale stool.
  • Bone loss.
  • Easy bleeding.
  • Itching.
  • Small, spider-like blood vessels visible in the skin.
  • Enlarged spleen.
  • Fluid in the abdominal cavity.
  • Chills.
  • Pain from the biliary tract or pancreas.
  • Enlarged gallbladder.

Some causes of cholestasis include:
  • Hepatitis.
  • Metabolic liver diseases.
  • Drug effects.
  • A stone in the bile duct.
  • Bile duct narrowing.
  • Biliary atresia.
  • Inflammation of the pancreas.

What is liver enlargement?
Liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) is usually an indicator of liver disease. There are usually no symptoms associated with a slightly enlarged liver. Symptoms of a grossly enlarged liver include abdominal discomfort or "feeling full."

What is portal hypertension?
Portal hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure in the portal vein, which brings blood from the intestine to the liver. Portal hypertension may be due to increased blood pressure in the portal blood vessels or resistance to blood flow through the liver. Portal hypertension can lead to the growth of new blood vessels (called collaterals) that connect blood flow from the intestine to the general circulation, bypassing the liver. When this occurs, substances that are normally removed by the liver pass into general circulation. Symptoms of portal hypertension may include:
  • A distended abdominal cavity (ascites).
  • Bleeding of the varicose veins at the lower end of the esophagus and in the stomach lining.

What is ascites?
Ascites is fluid build-up in the abdominal cavity caused by fluid leaks from the vessels on the surface of the liver and intestine. Ascites due to liver disease usually accompanies other liver disease characteristics such as portal hypertension. Symptoms of ascites may include a distended abdomen, which causes discomfort and shortness of breath.

What is liver encephalopathy?
Liver encephalopathy is the deterioration of brain function due to toxic substances building up in the blood which are normally removed by the liver. Liver encephalopathy is also called portal-systemic encephalopathy, hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic coma.

Symptoms may include:
  • Changes in logical thinking, personality and behavior.
  • Mood changes.
  • Impaired judgment.
  • Sluggish speech and movement.
  • Confusion.
  • Sluggish speech and movement.
  • Disorientation.
  • Loss of consciousness.
  • Coma.

What is liver failure?
Liver failure is severe deterioration of liver function. Liver failure occurs when a large portion of the liver is damaged due to any type of liver disorder. Symptoms may include:

  • Jaundice.
  • Tendency to bruise or bleed easily.
  • Ascites.
  • Impaired brain function (encephalopathy).
  • Poor weight gain and growth.
  • Fatigue.
  • Weakness.
  • Nausea.
  • Loss of appetite.


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