Wow Ashley! How cool is that...:thumleft:
Just off the top of my head for now and some of these will be pretty obvious:
It is an autoimmune disease that strikes most sufferers as teenagers and young adults or, as in Ethan's, very much younger than this. It therefore often strikes at a time when a child's growth and development are at a peak.
It is a chronic, incurable disease but many people, with appropriate treatment, can go on to lead normal lives.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease is NOT Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Crohn's disease is a hidden disease in many ways. It's not only that you can't see it but there is very little awareness of it in the public eye and this also extends to a large degree into the health field. Many sufferers go undiagnosed for lengthy periods of time and this impacts significantly on their ability to function on a daily basis.
There are many extra intestinal manifestations associated with the disease.
This is a complex disease that still has much to be discovered about it. There are many misconceptions about it like...just change your diet you'll be right, so if you take a tablet everything will be fine, it's just a stomach thing you can't be in that much pain...
Weight loss is a symptom for many people and when it strikes young females an added burden that confronts them is the hushed and whispered suggestions of Anorexia.
Crohn's disease is just one part of the person, not the whole person.
Dusty. xxx
