Poor diet and inflammation in the bowel leads to rapid weight loss and it is important therefore to counteract this. There is no one diet that will help all young patients but generally a well balanced diet containing essential nutrients should be encouraged.

When unwell, children often feel as if they have just eaten a big meal so a normal sized meal will be refused. Gentle encouragement with small amounts may help. If a particular food upsets the child then it should be omitted from the diet. However it is dangerous to try dietary manipulations without the supervision of a doctor or dietitian as avoiding too many foods will lead to further malnutrition.

There are several drinks obtainable from the chemist that contain all the nutrients. These ‘milk-shake’ type drinks may help when there is a loss of appetite.