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Appendicitis is the most common indication for abdominal surgery in children. Most patients present with abdominal pain and about one third of children with symptoms and signs that suggest the possibility of appendicitis require admission. The lifetime risk of developing appendicitis is approximately 9% in males and 7% in females. The peak incidence of appendicitis in children occurs in early adolescence and it is exceedingly rare in children under 2 years of age. Children less than 5 years of age typically present with nonspecific symptoms and have a much higher incidence of perforated appendicitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]