Crohn's Disease & Colitis

It was just suggested to me today that my 22 month old could have Crohn's. I am trying to find out more info. Hes had constant issues with hypotonia since birth. Hes always constipated is overly picky about anything he eats, never eats much of what he does like. Won't touch juice or fruits, barely veggies. Only drinks milk or water. Hes underweight for his age, and didn't eat solids till he was almost a year.

I am just a little shocked because I have been taking him in to different doctors at his clinic for the constipation problems and the only think I have been told is juice, which he wont drink, or generally changing his diet. Which oh how we've tried. Even when hes super hungry he wont eat the stuff that we introduce, like fruits. Then he gets super constipated and has a huge bowel movement after several days that looks very painful. Otherwise he has skid marks and tiny ones now and then that end up giving him bad diaper rash. I have gotten no where with doctors. One even told us we just think about it too much and we should just accept it. We've used baby suppositories but only as a last resort.

Now hes been throwing up at random. He will throw up in the morning and then be fine the rest of the day, even eating normally well for him. No fever, no acting sick. I took him into the urgent care clinic today where a totally new Doc suggested Crohn's. Of course I cant try to get him an appt with a GI specialist till I get referral next week but any information I can get would be awesome.

Hi Lisa, welcome! I'm so sorry to hear that your little one is having so many problems. I don't know much about Crohns's, but my dh was recently diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, so I'm learning a lot about both diseases.

Anyway, there's a site - the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, and they have a whole lot of information, including information for children and parents. You can find lists of doctors in your area that treat IBD. I think one of them might be more helpful than the docs you're seeing now. I hope it's of assistance for you.

http://www.ccfa.org/

It sounds like it *could* be Crohn's, maybe some reflux going on with the vomitting in the morning.  It's hard to say without the tests having been run though.

You might try posting on our Child Health board about his symptoms and see if the CL or other members there might have some ideas for you.

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Hi,  I have a son who is now 15 but was diagnosed with Crohn's at 12.  Reading your story sounds a lot like my son at your son's age.  Very picky with food, mostly just soy formula until 2...would not eat regular food. Never could get a jar of baby food down. No bouts of constipation but bouts of unexplained diarrhea (crohn's can present with either), random vomiting with no apparent sickness, always small for age...  Testing showed no parasites, wheat or milk allergies.

We went the reflux route for several years, not real successful.  He wore the same shoe and clothes size from 3rd through 6 grade.  In 6th grade was diagnosed after several months of nausea, then increasing periods of diarrhea to severe vomiting and diarrhea.  I do believe he had crohns as a baby.  Maybe not, but looking back, I see a lot of symptoms along the way.

There is a good parent support group on line for parents with several parents of small children.  It is dragonpack.com .  Even if you just have questions about the process of diagnosis or symptoms they can help.  In order to post you do need to register and it may take a day to get access but in the meantime you can read anything on the site.  I would really recommend you visit this site.