Complications

In some cases, children with ulcerative colitis will need to be admitted to a hospital.

Ulcerative colitis that begins in childhood is also more likely to affect a large portion of the colon. How much of the colon is affected is linked to how serious the disease is.

Having a condition that causes chronic upset stomach and diarrhea can be difficult for a child to understand and experience. In addition to physical effects, children can have anxiety and social problems related to their condition.

According to older research from 2004, a child with IBD may be more likely to experience the following problems:

• embarrassment about their condition
• challenges relating to identity, body image, and self-esteem
• behavioral problems
• difficulty developing coping strategies
• delays in starting puberty
• absence from school, which may impact learning

Research from confirmed the need for more research into how external and psychological factors affect the condition. When a child has IBD, it can also affect family relationships, and parents may worry about how best to support their child.

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation offers support and advice for families in which a child has IBD.