Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a collective term that includes a group of disorders with unknown etiology characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and relapsing and remitting course. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of IBD that affects the large intestine, causing irritation, inflammation, and ulcers in its lining. Approximately 25% of patients with IBD are diagnosed before the age of 18 years. Children and adolescents with UC are more likely to have more severe disease course with more extended intestinal involvement at diagnosis and faster disease progression than adults. Atypical presentation is also common in pediatric age. Treatment recommendations for children and adolescents are different than those for adults and offer many unique challenges for the healthcare professionals.