The most common symptoms of IBD include stomach pain, weight loss, diarrhea and bloody stool.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a growing problem in the United States, affecting more than 100,000 people under age 20. Dr. Corey Scherer, an Akron Children’s pediatric gastroenterologist, is here to share insight on IBD diagnosis, treatment and the comprehensive care available at Akron Children’s.
Please explain gastrointestinal (GI) conditions we hear about: inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).
IBD is an all-encompassing “umbrella” term to mean there’s inflammation of the GI tract, typically in the small or large intestine.
Some patients fit into the diagnosis of Crohn’s or UC, but those terms do not describe every type of IBD perfectly. We have a lot of patients who fit into an indeterminate or a middle kind of category. When I meet with families, the way we approach and discuss inflammation is determining the location(s), the severity and whether anything else is associated. I think that helps families and our treatment team understand the spectrum of inflammation, how it can cause different symptoms, how we then treat it and what to watch out for.
What are common symptoms of IBD in kids?
The big symptoms include belly pain, weight loss, diarrhea and blood in the stool. Less common ones are nausea, vomiting, constipation or signs of obstruction.
When are kids usually diagnosed with IBD?
We see pediatric IBD most commonly in school-age kids and high schoolers. But we do see a subset called very early onset, which would be kids under age 6.
Dr. Corey Scherer
How is IBD diagnosed?
It usually requires multiple tests to get a diagnosis including lab work, stool studies, upper and lower endoscopy and imaging (MRI or CT scan). It can be a process and is often not a quick answer or diagnosis.
Can IBD be prevented?
The development of IBD is likely multifactorial, meaning it’s likely the combination of multiple things coming together. Although we cannot fully prevent IBD from happening at this time, living a healthy lifestyle by making nutritious food choices and exercising regularly is recommended.
What short- and long-term things will help my child with IBD feel better?
IBD is a chronic, lifelong condition. The initial part is making the diagnosis and starting treatment. Once treatment starts, we typically see symptoms begin to show good improvement within a few months. Our goal for treatment is not only for symptoms to improve, but for labs, imaging and endoscopy findings to improve also.
IBD can have some serious complications. But our goal is to get patients to the spot where they can do whatever they want in life without IBD interfering.
How are IBD conditions managed?
We mostly manage through medicine. Our medication options have gotten a lot better, and we’ve seen much better patient outcomes compared to decades ago.
Lifestyle modifications can also help patients manage their conditions, such as dietary changes, regular exercise and managing stress. Sometimes, kids may need to have surgery as well.
My child is newly diagnosed with IBD. How can I help them at school?
Kids with IBD are fully eligible for a 504 plan to help them manage their condition while at school. We have an IBD nurse team and coordinator, as well as a social worker within our GI office, who can assist with school forms and 504 plans.
What other insight do you have to share?
We have a very large population of kids with IBD in Ohio, and many come to us with severe symptoms. I want families to know Akron Children’s has a comprehensive and experienced GI department that manages IBD daily. Our team includes:
Multiple gastroenterologists who treat IBD – at multiple locations across northern Ohio.
Pediatric surgeons and interventional radiologists who are heavily integrated into IBD patient care and management.
GI social work, nurse team and IBD program coordinator.
GI psychology within our GI department.
GI specialty pharmacist in addition to Akron Children’s Specialty Pharmacy.
Outpatient infusion centers in Akron and Boardman.
IBD can be tough, and it’s important for patients and families to know they are not alone. We are very fortunate to have a lot of resources and a great team to help our patients.
Inside Children’s is an online community that provides inspirational patient and staff stories as well as information about health and parenting, hospital news, fundraising events and more.
