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Review
. 2017 May 31:357:j2083.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.j2083.

Diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease in children

Stephanie B Oliveira  1 , Iona M Monteiro  2
Affiliations
Review

Diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease in children

Stephanie B Oliveira et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are lifelong conditions that often begin in childhood. The implications of IBD are of particular importance in children because of the potential negative effects on growth, development, psychosocial function, and overall wellbeing. The key management strategy is to achieve sustained control of intestinal inflammation and monitor for potential complications of the disease and side effects of therapies. Overall, the evidence on the management of IBD in children is less extensive than in adults, but good quality multicenter studies and various guidelines and society consensus statements are available. This review summarizes the evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and approaches to management of children and adolescents with IBD.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: We have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and have nothing to declare.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease
Fig 2
Fig 2
Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI). Adapted from Turner et al
Fig 3
Fig 3
Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) adapted from Hyams et al.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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MeSH terms