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. 2023 May;26(3):165-172.
doi: 10.5223/pghn.2023.26.3.165. Epub 2023 May 11.

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition for the Treatment of Pediatric Crohn's Disease: The Patient Perspective

Stephanie Christine Brown  1 , Catherine L Wall  1 , Richard B Gearry  1 , Andrew S Day  1
Affiliations

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition for the Treatment of Pediatric Crohn's Disease: The Patient Perspective

Stephanie Christine Brown et al. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2023 May.

Abstract

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, incurable and relapsing disease involving any part of the gastrointestinal tract and exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is first-line therapy. Few studies have examined the patient experience of EEN. The aim of this study was to assess the child' s experiences of EEN, to identify problematic themes and understand the child's mindset. Children with CD who previously completed EEN were recruited to complete a survey. All data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and reported as N (%). Forty-four children (mean age 11.3 years) consented to participate. Sixty-eight percent of children reported limited formula flavors as the most challenging aspect and 68% of children identified 'support' to be important. This study highlights the psychological impact of chronic disease and its therapies on children. Providing adequate support is essential to insure EEN is successful. Further studies are required to determine psychological support strategies for children taking EEN.

Keywords: Child psychology; Crohn disease; Enteral nutrition; Inflammatory bowel disease; Pediatrics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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