The pancreas performs an important function in children in the body - it produces enough pancreatic juice necessary for digestion of food. If it does not fulfill its functions in full, then the probability is high that the disease develops or the inflammation of this organ develops. What does its increase indicate, and what are the norms of the pancreas in children today?
It is important to understand that at the moment there are many different tables according to which it is possible to interpret the size of the pancreas in children, and therefore it is absolutely necessary to consult a doctor in this regard. After all, everything depends not only on the generally accepted standards, but also on the individual characteristics of the organism, as well as the growth and weight of children. All these parameters are important to consider, because otherwise, the diagnosis based on an increase in the pancreas may be incorrect.
So, the normal size of the pancreas in newborns is 5-6 millimeters. Some fluctuations, both upward and downward, can be absolutely normal, if all other indicators are normal. Undoubtedly, the doctor must make a decision about how critical the available dimensions are.
In children from 4 to 6 years of age, the size of the pancreas is slightly different. So, the body is about 6-8 mm, with the tail and head increasing and their norm is 9-11 and 7-9 mm, respectively.
Like other organs, during the growth of the body the pancreas also increases in size. So, by the time children reach 10 years of age, this body is at least doubled, and its body is between 10 and 15 centimeters. As a rule, the largest size is the head, which at this age is between 17 and 20 centimeters, and the tail is 16-19.
As a rule, the size of the pancreas in children is proportional: the head is the largest, the tail is the second largest, and the body has the smallest size directly. If one of the sites of this organ is enlarged and differs from the norm, this may mean the development of a possible inflammatory process or the formation of a tumor, and therefore in this case there is a need for an additional examination, specialist advice, and the appointment of a suitable treatment.