paediatric inflammatory bowel disease

Paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) most usually evolves during adolescence, a time of great challenge. For the adolescent, the disease should be thoroughly assessed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and ileo-colonoscopy, preferably performed under general anaesthetic or conscious sedation, with relevant radiological examination. This will enable the determination of diagnosis, IBD subtype and extent. Growth also needs to be assessed and the effect of disease on academic and social functioning must be explored.