• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Under 5 years old and treatment options

I have a question for anyone that has a child 5 or under that has been diagnosed with some form of IBD. What medications have you tried/used for your child and were they successful? We have a meeting with our PED GI next week to check on Clark's progress/remission and it seems he is one of the youngest kids at this hospital with crohn's disease and I would like to have more information on treatment options for other children of the same age. I don't think the docs can give me many they have treated first hand. For those who don't know Clark is now 4 with severe crohn's located through out his whole system. He also has an EIM of juvenile arthritis. He was in remission with EEN until we reintroduced foods, even though we have since taken away foods again he still has some inflammation and we are addressing how to proceed from here. Stronger medications will be needed if we can't get him back in remission. I appreciate any feedback you can give me so I can be more prepared for his appointment. :)
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Does he have juvenile arthritis or plain arthralgia ( joint pain as an EIM)?

If he has JA then you need a rheumo involved and the treatment plan would change to treat both JA and crohn's.

what you are seeing is what most study state- the first time EEN works well later it does not work as well unfortunately. :(

treatment options are the same regardless of age period.
MTX is injection so good from a weight dosing options
same with remicade

humira only comes in two doses but is approved for pediatric JRA as young as 4.

6-mp might be able to get in a liquid maybe???

you could ask a rheumo for options since they tend to treat very young kids with JA and those same drugs are used for IBD.
Humira plus MTX would be a good example of a combo that works for both.

same with remicade + mtx but easier to dose for weight


good luck.
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
My daughter (who is much older than your son) has juvenile arthritis and IBD. She's tried Humira +mtx and now is on Remicade +mtx. Both combinations have been miraculous for her - her joint pain is almost completely gone and her stomach pain is gone. She was on the adult dose of Humira when she was on it, so I have no real advice about doses, just that those drugs worked for her!
We do have to see both a rheumatologist and GI. If you aren't seeing a rheumatologist you definitely should - ours is very helpful and knows lots of tricks to ease joint pain that don't involve meds (for example when my daughter had heel pain, the dr showed her how to stretch her heels before she got out of bed which made early school mornings much easier!).
Good luck!
 
MLP-Thank you so much for the advice. I need to have the doctor specify exactly on the JA as they weren't very clear when we discussed it. I do believe that the doc did put JA in a letter to his potential school but we were never referred to a rheumy so maybe it isn't JA. I also have Crohn's disease, RA and chronic bronchitis and as much as I hate it Clark's presentation of his disease mirrors mine in so many ways.
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
DS sees a Rheumo for his arthralgia related to crohn's
I would highly recommend regardless since they handle joint issues even crohn's related ones day in and out
 
Top