IBD in Children and Teens

The exact cause is not known. IBD is thought to result from a mix of genes, an overactive immune response, gut bacteria, and environmental factors. It is not caused by anything the parents did, by stress, or by a particular food. It is not infectious. Having a close relative with IBD raises the chance, but most children with IBD have no family history.

IBD is much less common in children than in adults, but the number of children diagnosed has been rising in many parts of the world. It can appear at any age, including in young children, although it is most often diagnosed in the teenage years.

If your child is old enough to fast in Ramadan, speak with the IBD team well in advance. Fasting may not be advisable during a flare or if medicine, nutrition or growth are a concern. The team can advise on safe timing of medicines. Islamic rulings allow exemption from fasting for illness; your doctor and religious scholar can guide you.

Diagnosis needs a specialist paediatric team. It usually involves blood and stool tests (including a stool test for gut inflammation), and then endoscopy of the upper gut and colonoscopy under anaesthetic or sedation to look at the lining and take small tissue samples (biopsies). Imaging of the small bowel, such as MRI or ultrasound, is often used in Crohn's disease. Growth, puberty stage, and nutrition are checked as part of the assessment.

Day-to-day habits help your child feel well and stay on track.

• Give medicines exactly as prescribed, even when your child feels well. Do not stop them without the team's advice.

• Keep all clinic, blood test and growth check appointments.

• Encourage regular physical activity, sleep, and time with friends. Normal life is the goal.

• Keep vaccinations up to date, and ask the team before any live vaccine if your child is on immune-suppressing medicine.

• Teenagers should not smoke or vape; talk openly and offer support.

• Look after emotional health. Anxiety, low mood and school worries are common, and help is available.

Good nutrition is part of treatment because IBD can make it hard to grow.

• Aim for a balanced, varied diet with enough calories and protein for growth. Avoid cutting out food groups without advice.

• A dietitian from the IBD team can advise on high-energy foods, supplements and, sometimes, a special nutrition programme.

• During a flare, small frequent meals and extra fluids may be easier. Follow your team's advice about fibre.

• Ask about vitamin D, calcium, iron, and other supplements. Do not start supplements or restrictive "IBD diets" from the internet without discussing them first.

Treatment aims to settle inflammation, support normal growth, and prevent flares. The specialist chooses the plan for each child.

• Different medicine groups may be used, including anti-inflammatory medicines, steroids for short periods to calm a flare, immune-modulating medicines, and biologic medicines.

• Steroids are used for short periods because long use can affect growth and bones.

• Your child will need regular blood tests and check-ups to watch for side effects and to check that the treatment is working.

• Report any fever, infection, or new symptoms promptly when on immune-suppressing medicine.

• The doctor decides medicines, doses and how long to use them. Do not change or stop them yourself.

Procedures help diagnose and monitor the disease; surgery is used only for some children.

• Endoscopy and colonoscopy are used at diagnosis and sometimes later to check healing, usually under anaesthetic or sedation.

• MRI or ultrasound can check the small bowel without radiation.

• Surgery may be considered for complications (such as narrowing, abscess or fistula) or when medicines no longer control the disease. The surgical team will explain the options.

In children with Crohn's disease, a carefully supervised liquid nutrition programme can calm inflammation in some patients, and treating early and closely monitoring the disease is increasingly emphasised to protect growth. Treatment plans are individual and decided by your child's specialist.

IBD is lifelong with periods of flare and calm (remission). With modern treatment and regular follow-up, most children and teens reach good control, attend school, play sport and grow into healthy adults. Good control matters because uncontrolled inflammation can harm growth and bone health. Moving from paediatric to adult care is planned gradually.

• Which type of IBD does my child have and how active is it?

• How will you track my child's growth and puberty?

• What are the treatment options, and what side effects should I watch for?

• Does my child need a special nutrition plan or supplements?

• What should we do during a flare, and who do we call?

• How will we plan the move to adult care?

This guide comes from the Saudi Gastroenterology Association (SGA) patient library, prepared by the Approved for publication by SGA; individual clinician review is ongoing. Last reviewed: 2026-04-24. It is for education and does not replace your doctor's advice.