Ominous Findings in Toddlers With Increasing Abdominal Girth: Two Unusual Cases and a Review of the Clinical Evaluation

A preverbal toddler who presents with a distended abdomen can pose a difficult clinical problem. The differential diagnosis is extremely broad and consists of etiologies ranging from the benign to the life threatening. In this case report, we present 2 unusual life-threatening cases of abdominal distention in well-appearing toddlers and a review of the clinical evaluation for the emergency practitioner.