Hirschprung disease should be suspected if a child does not pass stool within what period of time?

Hirschsprung disease is a congenital disorder that affects the colon and causes difficulties with stool passage due to the absence of nerve cells (ganglion cells) in a portion of the intestinal tract. In newborns, one of the key indicators of potential Hirschsprung disease is the failure to pass meconium, the first stool, within a specific timeframe after birth.

Typically, if a newborn does not pass meconium within the first 24 hours after birth, it raises concern for bowel obstruction, which may indicate Hirschsprung disease. This timeframe is clinically significant because a healthy term infant usually passes meconium within the first 24 hours. If a child has not passed stool within this period, healthcare providers will initiate further evaluation to determine the underlying cause, including the possibility of Hirschsprung disease.

Reference to the other options highlights that while passing meconium after longer durations, such as 48 or 72 hours, may also indicate an issue, the clinical guideline is primarily focused on the 24-hour mark as a critical cutoff for considering Hirschsprung disease.