Inflammatory bowel disease, otherwise known as IBD, is an illness pediatric providers need to consider when they see kids with abdominal pain, diarrhea or weight loss. IBD can present in a fairly straightforward way, or it can be incredibly challenging to diagnose. We’ve seen improvements in IBD diagnosis and care recently, including new screening tools and medications, as well as future treatments currently under investigation. Getting these medications to kids can be a challenge since pharmaceutical companies focus on adult indications and pediatric clinical research can sometimes lag. That delays access to some of the best therapies.

One of our experts in IBD at Children’s Hospital Colorado is our guest for this episode, Edwin De Zoeten, MD. He is the director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, and is the Hoover Family Endowed Chair for Digestive Health and Nutrition. He is a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado school of Medicine and has a basic science research lab focused on better understanding the pathophysiology of IBD and looking at new treatment opportunities.

Some highlights from this episode include:   

• Understanding what symptoms look like and how early they can begin 
• Looking at the underlying pathophysiology that triggers IBD 
• Sharing tools pediatricians can use for diagnosing and treating IBD 
• Discussing the durability of treatments and benefits over time   

For more information on Children’s Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.