What is inflammatory bowel disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a disease that causes chronic inflammation of the intestines and is broadly divided into ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Cases have been increasing in recent years, and are often seen in children from the upper grades of elementary school onwards. These are designated intractable diseases, and require prompt diagnosis and treatment.

What are the symptoms?

It is often diagnosed through persistent diarrhea, bloody stools, and abdominal pain.

Ulcerative colitis (colon)

What about testing?

If inflammatory bowel disease is suspected, stool and blood tests can provide a rough diagnosis, but a colonoscopy is required for a definitive diagnosis.

What is the treatment?

Treatment for inflammatory bowel disease varies depending on the severity and symptoms of each patient, and involves a combination of dietary therapy and drug therapy.

Crohn's disease (small intestine)

Pediatric endoscopy

At our hospital, with the cooperation of our gastroenterology department, we are able to perform gastrointestinal endoscopy for children. Endoscopy can be very scary for children. However, it is an absolutely necessary test for diagnosing and treating illnesses. To make endoscopic examinations for children as painless as possible, we work with our anesthesiology department to have the examination and treatment performed while the patient is asleep. Please feel free to consult us about gastrointestinal endoscopy for children.