Children's Health Children's Diseases and Conditions Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Short stature in children may be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease


Children who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often have trouble absorbing the nutrients they need to grow properly. This disease causes inflammation anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract, causing pain and bowel symptoms. According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, between 60 and 90 percent of children with Crohn's disease and 14 percent of children with ulcerative colitis—two common forms of IBD— experience growth problems. In some cases special nutritional therapy is required to help provide them with necessary proteins, vitamins, calories, and minerals.