Understanding your child’s Crohn’s disease

Inflammation in your child’s body

Crohn's disease belongs to a larger group of illnesses called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is associated with inflammation of the digestive tract, or gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which runs from the mouth to the anus, and includes the stomach and intestines. It more commonly affects the end of the small intestine and the large intestine.

Crohn’s disease is chronic, but there are medications that may help.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease, meaning it can’t be cured and stays with someone his or her whole life. But while there is no cure for Crohn’s, there are medications that may help patients, like your child, experience symptom reduction and achieve remission.

HUMIRA is a prescription medicine used to reduce signs and symptoms, and to achieve and maintain clinical remission in children 6 years of age and older with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease when certain other treatments have not worked well enough.

How HUMIRA Works

How do you get Crohn’s disease?

If your child has Crohn’s disease, you’ve probably asked yourself a variety of questions. How did my child get this disease?Will Crohn’s delay the growth of my child? Why is my child continuing to experience symptoms? There are a few possible reasons why Crohn’s disease can occur in children or adults; however, the exact cause is unknown.

Even though the cause of Crohn’s disease is not fully understood, it is thought to be a result of a combination of factors.

Genetics

About 5% to 20% of patients have a close relative with either Crohn's or ulcerative colitis
A person's risk of having Crohn's is about 10X greater if they have a relative with it
If the relative with Crohn's is a brother or sister, a person’s risk of having it is 30X greater
While several genes were found to be associated with Crohn's, many people who carry these genes do not develop Crohn's

Immune System

Researchers believe substances in the intestines are mistaken for invading substances (antigens)
To combat these antigens, your immune system causes temporary inflammation, which is reduced as you regain health
With Crohn's, inflammation can persist long after your immune system should have finished its job

Environment

Immune responses in the GI tract can be due to exposure to foreign substances in the environment
Inflammation can also be triggered by microorganisms and intestinal bacteria
Crohn’s is more common in urban than in rural areas
It‘s more common in northern than in southern climates
Certain foods can aggravate symptoms in some people, but there have been no studies to suggest that diet can either cause or treat Crohn's
There's no specific diet that patients with the disease should follow (although it's always advisable to eat a balanced diet)
There's no convincing evidence that Crohn's results from food allergies

Treatment goals: Remission

The goals of pediatric Crohn's disease management include achieving remission (few or no symptoms) and maintaining remission. Whether or not your child is currently taking medication for Crohn's, if he or she is experiencing signs and symptoms, you should talk to his or her doctor.

Bring your child into the treatment discussion.

You know your child. When you feel that he or she is ready, include your child in discussions with the doctor about his or her condition and treatment. Remember to ask if he or she understands what the doctor has said.

Talking about and sharing this decision may help your child realize the importance of following treatment as directed by the doctor, and may give your child a better understanding of his or her condition.