Inflammatory Bowel Disease  (IBD)

What is inflammatory bowel disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a swelling or inflammation in the digestive tract. There are two types of IBD, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It is often hard to tell the two types of IBD apart, since they cause many of the same symptoms, including stomach pain and diarrhea.

The difference between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is the area of the digestive tract that becomes inflamed.

• Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus.
• Ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine (colon).

IBD is a common condition, and it can affect both children and adults. IBD is a lifelong condition, but the symptoms can come and go. So, there may be weeks or months when your child has no symptoms and then they will flare up again.

What are the signs and symptoms of IBD?

IBD in children can cause a variety of symptoms. Some common symptoms of pediatric IBD include:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Bloody stools
• Weight loss or loss of appetite
• Weakness
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Tiredness

What causes IBD?

Experts are not sure what causes inflammatory bowel disease in children. They believe it is caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors.

How is IBD treated?

Your child’s treatment will depend on their symptoms, age, and overall health. Your care team at Arkansas Children’s is experienced in treating all types of pediatric IBD and will work with you to develop the best treatment plan for your child’s specific symptoms. Some treatment options may include:

• Medicines: Most kids with IBD will take medicines to reduce inflammation and control symptoms. These may include:
  • anti-inflammatory medicines
  • medicines to keep the immune system from causing more inflammation
  • antibiotics to suppress the immune system and fight infection
  • acid-reducing medications to treat ulcers
  • disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to help slow inflammation
• Nutrition therapy: A nutritionist can work with your child to create an eating plan to help ease the symptoms of IBD.
• Surgery: In some cases, your child may need surgery to remove part of the intestine. This may be an option if your child has very severe symptoms that do not respond to medicine or that stop responding to medicine.