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[Children and adolescents with ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease]
1Medisinsk avdeling, Regionsykehuset i Trondheim.
Insights
Pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, require prompt diagnosis and specialized care. Early detection and intervention are crucial to mitigate significant physical, emotional, and developmental impacts on young patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Research
Context:
- Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease affect children and young people.
- Diagnosis and treatment align with adult guidelines but present unique challenges in pediatric populations.
- Limited awareness among the public, parents, and general practitioners contributes to diagnostic delays.
Purpose:
- To highlight the unique challenges in diagnosing and treating pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases.
- To emphasize the critical need for early recognition and specialist referral.
- To underscore the profound impact of these chronic conditions on young patients' development and well-being.
Summary:
- Pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), encompassing ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, share adult treatment protocols but necessitate focused attention on age-specific issues.
- Delayed diagnosis is common due to low awareness, leading to prolonged suffering and potential developmental setbacks.
- Chronic gastrointestinal symptoms during peak growth phases can severely affect physical, mental, and emotional development, impacting self-esteem and quality of life.
Impact:
- Early diagnosis and intervention are vital to prevent long-term physical and psychological harm in pediatric IBD patients.
- Addressing the unique needs of young patients can improve their quality of life and reduce associated morbidities.
- Patient organizations play a key role in providing support and information for young individuals and families affected by IBD.
Abstract:
The diagnosis and treatment of children and young people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease follows the same guidelines as for adults, but several important and unique problems related to the diseases in young age groups deserve attention. Since ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are relatively rare at a young age, there is often a lack of awareness among people in general, parents and general practitioners. There is therefore often an unnecessarily long delay before the young patient is seen by a general practitioner and then referred to a specialist centre where the diseases can be properly diagnosed, evaluated and treated. Chronic gastrointestinal symptoms caused by inflammatory bowel disease at an age where physical and mental growth are at a peak could result in serious negative effects not only on young patients' physical and mental development, but also on their self-esteem. The diseases adversely affect the quality of life of many young patients and their families and are a source of anxiety, emotional, behavioural, and psychological morbidity. Patients' organisations can help by providing additional information and support through special groups for young patients with inflammatory bowel disease.