How does Ulcerative Colitis affect children and young people ?
Ulcerative Colitis is rare in children under the age of five. About one out of 10 people with IBD are diagnosed before the age of 18. In young people with Ulcerative Colitis symptoms first appear more commonly around the age of 12. The symptoms are the same as in adults, though they tend to be more severe. This may be because Ulcerative Colitis tends to be more extensive in children – the whole colon is affected in about eight out of 10 children with Ulcerative Colitis . Inflammation of the bowel can affect how well a child grows and delay puberty, but most generally catch up in the end. Steroid treatment can also
affect growth, but this improves as soon as the steroids are stopped. Your child may at times
need additional vitamin and mineral supplements to help their growth. Very occasionally doctors
recommend surgery to remove the bowel when a child fails to grow enough.
Children and young people may have particular problems due to loss of time from school, a sense
of being 'different' from other young people, and difficulty in the development of independence.
We have a booklet for parents: IBD in Children: a parent’s guide, an information sheet for schools:
Children and young people with IBD: a guide for schools, and a leaflet for young people: IBD concerns
for young people. If you have any concerns it is best to talk to your child’s specialist doctor or nurse.
Ulcerative Colitis is rare in children under the age of five. About one out of 10 people with IBD are diagnosed before the age of 18. In young people with Ulcerative Colitis symptoms first appear more commonly around the age of 12. The symptoms are the same as in adults, though they tend to be more severe. This may be because Ulcerative Colitis tends to be more extensive in children – the whole colon is affected in about eight out of 10 children with Ulcerative Colitis . Inflammation of the bowel can affect how well a child grows and delay puberty, but most generally catch up in the end. Steroid treatment can also
affect growth, but this improves as soon as the steroids are stopped. Your child may at times
need additional vitamin and mineral supplements to help their growth. Very occasionally doctors
recommend surgery to remove the bowel when a child fails to grow enough.
Children and young people may have particular problems due to loss of time from school, a sense
of being 'different' from other young people, and difficulty in the development of independence.
We have a booklet for parents: IBD in Children: a parent’s guide, an information sheet for schools:
Children and young people with IBD: a guide for schools, and a leaflet for young people: IBD concerns
for young people. If you have any concerns it is best to talk to your child’s specialist doctor or nurse.
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