There are various treatments available for children with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The aim of any treatment is to get the child into a full remission and back to a normal life style. However, at present there is no way of preventing a relapse. Sometimes this may occur within weeks or months but sometimes the remission may last for years.

Over the last few years enteral feeding has been the first choice of treatment for children with Crohn’s Disease. This is a special liquid feed containing all the nutrients and has no side effects. This special feed can sometimes be taken as a drink or if really unpalatable to the child can be given through a naso-gastric tube. This special feed will usually be given for six weeks and no food will be taken during this time. At the end of the six weeks foods will be introduced very gradually. Sometimes this feed is continued as a supplement to the normal food. However drugs, including steroids, may be needed to suppress the inflammation and bring about a remission.

Surgery is sometimes needed and the type of surgery performed will depend on what part of the bowel is affected. There are several types of operation and your paediatrician and paediatric surgeon will discuss these with you if it becomes necessary. It may be just a straight forward resection of part of the bowel but in more severe cases it may mean making a stoma and bringing the bowel out on to the surface of the stomach and fitting a bag to collect body waste.

An acute attack of Ulcerative Colitis is usually treated with a combination of drugs including steroids taken by mouth, plus drugs in the form of an enema into the rectum. This is followed by a prolonged or indefinite period of maintenance treatment with a much less powerful drug. In severe cases an urgent operation may be necessary to remove all or part of the colon. Total Colectomy, if necessary, completely cures Ulcerative Colitis but the patient is left with a permanent ieostomy (an artificial opening on the stomach).