Growth failure in the child with inflammatory bowel disease

Once considered rare in pediatric practice, chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is now being recognized with increasing frequency in children of all ages. In IBD, growth failure may be the only clinical presentation; it is imperative to perform a detailed history and physical examination to search for other systemic and gastrointestinal manifestations of the disease. IBD can have a significant impact on linear growth, weight gain, and bone mineralization, and can cause delays in the onset of puberty. Delays in growth and sexual development can be early indicators of disease activity, and assessment of growth and development should be performed frequently. Nutritional therapy is important not only to correct undernutrition, but also as therapy for IBD. Delayed puberty can have a significant impact on the self-esteem of the adolescent patient and diminish final adult height. Loss of bone mineral density is especially significant during a period in which the majority of bone accretion is expected to occur. These issues present unique problems to the gastroenterologist caring for a child or adolescent with IBD and require specific types of monitoring and interventions.