Crohn's Disease in Children: Avoiding Growth Failure

Child growth and development is a natural part of our human growth and typically occurs without much incidence. In some cases, children can suffer from complications that lead to growth failure and often parents are confused as to what the health concern is. For children who are suffering from Crohn's disease, there are a variety of reasons that growth failure occurs and, in most cases, can be reversed when properly addressed with medical attention.

If your child has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease, it is important to become familiar with not only the underlying dynamics of the health condition, and the associated treatments of symptoms, but also what secondary risks can arise. Growth failure, among all secondary conditions, can have the greatest long term impact on your child's health.

Growth failure in children who have Crohn's disease is typically associated with the recurrence of diarrhea which results in malnutrition. When diarrhea and abnormal digestion are not mitigated, your child will lose vital nutrients when living with Crohn's disease and, as a result, may have long term growth complications. Complications from abnormal bone growth to abnormal brain growth are often seen in a growth failure diagnosis.

To ensure your child does not suffer from growth failure, in response to Crohn's disease, be sure that you are working with a pediatric nutritionist who can provide guidance in proper diet and nutrition. For your child, the best diet will be one that avoids milk products and one that boosts low fiber intake with a good amount of protein. Protein drinks, for example, are often used in the diet of children who have Crohn's disease with early signs of growth failure.

While there are many other health issues that can arise in response to Crohn's disease in children, parents should be acutely aware of the issues associated with growth failure and how to negate the health risk. Be sure to work with a nutritionist and your pediatrician in this regard.

Sources: Making Weight, by Arnold Andersen