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Crohns and Nutrition

I'd love your thoughts on nutrition and kids with Crohns. My son has lost a kilo recently, he is due for blood tests next week so fingers crossed they come back as good as the last ones.

He is so thin, we are staying away from problem foods, even though he is in remission, like nuts, corn, skins on foods, hard fruits etc, but he doesn't have a big appetite, I'd love to know how you deal with your kids and their nutrition. What do you give them to boost them and to try to add weight on?

Also do you give them vitamins or supplements, I have no idea where to start with this? We are having alot of iron rich foods etc but if he isn't absorbing atm, it's a problem. Its such a worry...
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
I am not a parent but I'd suggest meal replacement shakes if his appetite is poor. I definitely think a multi vitamin would be wise due to our inability to eat a variety of nutrition dense foods and malabsorption.

Unfortunately with iron, he may be like me and many others who just don't absorb it well from food. We require iron infusions and blood work to ensure proper levels.

I hope the blood work comes back alright, I'd highly recommend his b12, iron, vitamin d and zinc are checked as those are commonly an issue in IBD patients.
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
We have done and continue to give DS peptamen jr with prebio
Every single day an extra 750 calories.
His weight is now good -75% up from 25% at dx and height has increased as well.
Otherwise he would not be able to keep up with his growth.

I saw him with other kids his age and he is now above average.
He only avoids nuts seeds beans and skins
Otherwise he can eat anything .
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
I agree with perhaps looking into a liquid supplement.

I would either go to the local hospital and speak with the dietician there. We are also rural and our local base hospital didn't have much of an idea about nutrition with Crohn's so they contacted the Sydney Children's Hospital. If the local hospital is no help then directly contact the IBD unit of the children's hospital in Brisbane.

As to vitamin/mineral supplements I supplement based on need. Since your lad has small bowel disease I would have bloods done (just get the GP to do the request) to check the following levels:

Iron Stores
B12
Vitamin D
Magnesium
Zinc

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Dusty. xxx
 
We tried and tried to get our son to gain weight. He wasn't even on the growth charts. Only thing that worked for us was the liquid supplements also.
We use Pediasure 1.5 cal at the moment. We do it at night with ng tube. 1100 calories. We've seen about 1 to 1.5 lbs gain a week. (My mom was worried we'd make our son 'fat'. His gain has been wonderful. He's solid...and gaining muscle...no fat! Really has made a difference)
 
Tried for 3 years to gain weight, he never had an appetite or gained weight even while in remission until we added Peptide (liquid supplemental drinks). He went from 5 feet and 77 pounds to 5 feet 1 inch and 100 pounds after 6 weeks of an extra 2000 calories a day.
Once dropped the drinks to 2-3 a day he dropped to 96-97 pounds and has maintained that for the most part (except our recent flare - He is at 92 right now) but he still doesn't look as thin since he had a little more to lose it is not as noticeable
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Also agree on the nutritional shakes. My son is much older but... supplemented his diet for about 1.5 years through ng tube (an additional 1500 cal/day), now that he's away at school, he drinks 1-3 shakes per day (approx. 300-900 cals) (Boost shakes mainly). He was 145-150 lbs prior to being sick, went down to 125 at diagnosis and, 2 years later is at 175-180 lbs. And, as Brian'sMom said, the gain has not been 'fat' but has been healthy muscular gain.
 
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