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Childhood Crohn's disease presenting as chronic constipation
Carmen M D'Aleo1, Tamara Sabbi, Pierpacifico Gismondi
1Deparment of Pediatric, Ospedale "M Raimondi", San Cataldo, CL, Italy. carmendaleo@yahoo.it
La Pediatria Medica E Chirurgica : Medical and Surgical Pediatrics
|October 21, 2009
Summary
This case study highlights a rare presentation of Crohn's disease (CD) in a child, where severe constipation was the primary symptom, challenging typical inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), often presents with non-specific symptoms in children.
- Systemic manifestations like growth failure and delayed puberty are common, complicating early diagnosis.
- While diarrhea and rectal bleeding are typical, constipation is an unusual initial symptom for pediatric IBD.
Observation:
- A 9-year-old girl presented with severe constipation, abdominal pain, and intermittent fever.
- These symptoms are atypical for IBD, which commonly includes diarrhea and rectal bleeding.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD).
- This case represents a rare instance of CD manifesting primarily as chronic constipation in a pediatric patient.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering IBD in children with unusual symptoms like chronic constipation.
- Underscores the diagnostic challenges in pediatric IBD and the need for broader differential diagnoses.
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