Serving the community with highly specialized gastroenterology care – Long Beach Post

By: Roy Nattiv, M.D., co-medical director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, MemorialCare Miller Childrens & Womens Hospital Long Beach

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, affect as many as 1.6 million Americans, most of whom are diagnosed before 35, according to the Crohns & Colitis Foundation.

IBD is a chronic, lifelong condition that can permanently damage the gastrointestinal tract if not treated. However, if identified early, young children with IBD can live normal, healthy lives.

Because IBD symptoms are often similar to symptoms caused by other gastrointestinal conditions, its important that parents request a medical evaluation by a pediatric gastroenterologist if their child is experiencing gastrointestinal distress.

At MemorialCare Miller Childrens & Womens Hospital Long Beach, a specialized Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, part of the Gastroenterology & Nutrition Center, is uniquely equipped to diagnose and treat kids with IBD.

The IBD care team includes multi-disciplinary pediatric experts in gastroenterology, surgery and radiology, as well as nurses, registered dietitians, psychologists, social workers, and pharmacists, who understand childrens specific medical, social and emotional needs.

Additionally, patients have access to a wide range of research protocols available through ImproveCareNow, which is a collaborative community where patients, parents, clinicians and researchers work together to improve the health and care of children with Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

Identifying IBD in Your Child

The initial symptoms of IBD may be weight loss or delayed growth. In fact, 80 to 90 percent of children with Crohns disease experience weight loss.

Other symptoms range from mild to severe and life-threatening, including any or all of the following:

If you notice any of these persistent symptoms in your child, talk to your childs pediatrician about a consultation with a pediatric gastroenterologist at Miller Childrens & Womens.

Learn more at millerchildrens.org/GI.

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Serving the community with highly specialized gastroenterology care - Long Beach Post