Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

What is pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?

Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease is a group of conditions where the immune system turns against the body and attacks the gastrointestinal (GI) system. This causes chronic inflammation in the GI tract and lifelong symptoms, like abdominal pain and reduced appetite. IBD can greatly impact a child’s day-to-day life and emotional well-being.

Our team at Children’s Health is dedicated to using the latest and most effective methods to improve your child’s quality of life so they can enjoy the things they love most.

What are the different types of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?

The two most common forms of IBD are:

Pediatric ulcerative colitis

This condition affects the large intestine (colon) and causes tiny sores. Learn more here.

Pediatric Crohn’s disease

Chron’s disease can impact the entire GI system but most commonly affects the small intestine. Learn more here.

Regardless of the type of IBD, children can experience periods of time with no symptoms (remission) and periods with severe symptoms (flare-ups).

What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease?

• Abdominal pain

• Diarrhea

• Rectal bleeding

• Bloody stool

• Fatigue

• Reduced appetite

• Weight loss

• Growth delays

IBD can also impact other areas of the body, causing symptoms like:

• Anemia (low blood count or iron deficiency)

• Eye inflammation

• Skin problems

• Joint pain

How is pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosed?

The first step in diagnosing IBD is to go over your child’s symptoms and family medical history. From there, we’ll perform blood and stool testing to check for signs of inflammation and rule out infection. Depending on your child’s symptoms, we may also perform:

• Upper endoscopy (EGD). This uses a thin tube with a camera to look inside the esophagus, stomach and upper portion of the small intestine.

• Colonoscopy. This uses a special tool to check the inside of the large intestine and rectum.

• Capsule endoscopy. This uses a tiny camera to take pictures of the inside of the small intestine.

• Imaging tests. These include an MRI or CT scan, which take pictures of your child’s GI tract to identify signs of inflammation.

What causes pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?

IBD causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the GI tract, which causes inflammation. The exact reason for this isn’t known. Genetics also seem to play a role because IBD is more common in children and teens who have a family history of IBD.

How is pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated?

Treatment for IBD will be different for every child. Our main goal is to relieve symptoms, reduce flare-ups and achieve periods of remission. Care plans usually involve a combination of medications, nutritional therapy and vitamin supplements. We also use yoga and behavioral therapy to help manage pain.

If these treatments don’t improve your child’s condition, surgery may be recommended to remove the affected sections of the GI tract (usually the large intestine). Surgery can greatly benefit children who have severe colitis, infected tunnels (fistulas) around the anus, and narrowing of the intestines that prevent proper nutrition.

Our team will work closely with you to find the best solutions to manage your child’s IBD so they can have the best quality of life and thrive into adulthood.