Children with Crohn's disease or colitis "are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety"

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Children with Crohn's disease or colitis "are 60% more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression or a eating disorder"

  • Swedish researchers analyzed data from 6,400 children for the study
  • They found that 17% of children with IBD had a psychiatric diagnosis
  • In contrast, the rate was only 12% for healthy children, the researchers said

By Stephen Matthews Health Editor for Mailonline

Published on: 4:00 pm TSB, August 19, 2019 | Update: 17:03, start time 19 August 2019

One study suggests that children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at greater risk of developing mental health problems.

Swedish researchers analyzed data from 6,400 children and followed them for an average of nine years.

They discovered that about 17% of children suffering from this painful situation had been diagnosed with a psychiatric condition.

In contrast, the rate of anxiety, depression and other mental disorders was only 12% in healthy children – and 10% among siblings. children with IBD.

Scientists say this means that the risk of psychiatric disorders is 1.6 times higher in children with IBD.

Swedish researchers analyzed data from 6,400 children and followed them for an average of nine years. They discovered that about 17% of children with this painful condition had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

Swedish researchers analyzed data from 6,400 children and followed them for an average of nine years. They discovered that about 17% of children with this painful condition had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common forms of IBD, both of which are incurable.

It is thought that the conditions affect some three million Americans, more than 300,000 people in the UK and 85,000 Australians.

Scientists already knew that adults with IBD were at increased risk for psychiatric disorders.

But the new study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics of the American Medical Association, looked at risk when considering children.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet have concluded that IBD appearing in childhood is generally associated with psychiatric morbidity.

WHAT IS INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a medical term that describes a group of conditions in which the intestines become inflamed (red and swollen).

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are two main types of IBD.

Ulcerative colitis affects the large intestine (colon), while Crohn's disease can occur in all parts of the intestine.

Symptoms may include:

  • Abdominal cramps and frequent pains
  • Watery diarrhea (may be bloody)
  • Severe urgency to go to the saddle
  • Fever at the active stage of the disease
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Fatigue and fatigue anemia (due to blood loss)

People of all ages can get IBD, but IBD is usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40.

The conditions are chronic and can not be cured, treatment usually relies on medication and lifestyle modifications to manage symptoms, but may include surgery.

ITNs are thought to affect about three million people in the United States, more than 300,000 Britons and 85,000 Australians.

Source: Crohn's & Colitis Australia

The higher risk applied to a number of conditions such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders, ADHD and autism spectrum disorders.

The team compared the risk of psychiatric disorders later in life with both healthy children in the general population and with the patient's own siblings.

By comparing their siblings, scientists were able to take into account a large number of confounding factors, such as socio-economics, lifestyle and heredity.

These are all factors known to influence the risk of psychiatric disorders in children.

The research also revealed a higher risk of suicide attempt after adulthood for children with IBD.

Academics, writing in the medical journal, said their findings on the increased risk of suicide attempts were "of particular concern."

They added that the findings suggest "that long-term psychological support be considered for IBD patients occurring in childhood".

Agnieszka Butwicka, co-author, said: "The study shows that children with IBD and their parents need psychological support and longer follow-up.

"Special help could be offered to children who become ill at a young age and to children of parents with mental health problems."

The risk was particularly high for children diagnosed with IBD before the age of six and for children of parents with psychiatric disorders.

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