Discuss the etiology of an 8-year-old male presenting to the emergency room with fever, sudden onset right lower quadrant abdominal pain, vomiting, and nausea for the past 24 hours. On physical examination, the patient is moderately toxic appearing and has significant severe tenderness to McBurney's point with radiation to the periumbilical region. The patient's vital signs are as noted: temperature 38.3 C, heart rate 151 bpm, and respiratory rate 36 breaths/min. Lab results are significant for a leukocytosis of 18,400/mm³. What would be your next steps for this patient as his attending emergency room physician?
