Overview of paediatric IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic complex disease of children and adults requiring a range of medications and surgical techniques to induce and maintain remission. In common with other immune-mediated inflammatory disorders, it has shown an ever-increasing rise in incidence worldwide over the last 50 years. The cause of IBD arises from interactions between the microbiome in the gut and the gastrointestinal and systemic immune system in genetically susceptible persons, and with environmental triggers to both develop IBD and have relapses of IBD. The burden of IBD in children and adolescents can be high, and treatment needs a multi-disciplinary approach aiming to abolish symptoms, promote growth and development, and support a restriction-free life. Achieving healing of the intestinal mucosa promotes long-term remission and helps to avoid disease complications.