Category: 3. Colitis

It’s important to help your child feel comfortable to share changes in symptoms, or when they’ve missed a medication dose. Here are some ways to help them cope with symptoms and to feel confident about opening up to you: Ask them for updates on how they feel both mentally and physically. Use language they can…

There are many ways children and their parents can work to cope with ulcerative colitis and live healthy and happy lives. Here are a few starting points: Educate loved ones, teachers, and close friends about the disease, nutritional needs, and medications. Seek the advice of a registered dietitian for meal planning to make sure your…

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…

Treatment for ulcerative colitis can depend on how severe your child’s symptoms are, and how well their disease responds to treatment. Ulcerative colitis in adults is sometimes treated with a special kind of enema that has medication. However, children often can’t tolerate receiving the enema. If they can take medications, some treatments include: aminosalicylates, to reduce inflammation in…

There’s no one test used to diagnose a child with ulcerative colitis. However, your doctor can do many different tests to rule out other conditions that have symptoms similar to ulcerative colitis. They’ll begin by doing a physical exam and taking a health history of your child’s symptoms. They‘ll ask what makes the symptoms worse and better,…

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes ulcerative colitis. Researchers think that in some cases, a virus or bacteria may cause an inflammatory reaction in the colon. Research has also been examining whether a lack of beneficial gut bacteria could be a contributing cause. Some risk factors for the condition have been identified. One of the main risk factors for…

Ulcerative colitis usually affects adults, but it can occur in children, too. Children with ulcerative colitis can have a variety of symptoms related to inflammation. These symptoms may range from moderate to severe. Children with ulcerative colitis often go through peaks and valleys of the disease. They may not have symptoms for some time, then…

Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation in the colon, also called the large intestine. The inflammation can cause swelling and bleeding, as well as frequent bouts of diarrhea. About 40,000 children in the United States live with ulcerative colitis. For anyone, especially a child, these symptoms can be difficult to…