Leaders in Pediatric IBD Research & Clinical Care

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic and complex conditions. That's why it's important to work with physicians who understand inflammatory bowel disease. The University of Chicago Medicine has a long history of excellence in IBD research, and we continue to have access to the latest therapies. The pediatric IBD experts at Comer Children's recognize that every individual is different, so we take a personalized approach to finding the treatment that works best for you.

Understanding Your Child's IBD Diagnosis

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term that includes Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis (UC) and indeterminate colitis (also known as IBD-unclassified or IBD-U). These painful diseases involve a dysregulation (abnormality or impairment) of the immune system that injures the lining of the digestive system. This may cause inflammation and ulceration, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, weight loss and/or failure to thrive in children.

Crohn's disease can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, while ulcerative colitis primarily affects the colon (large intestine) and rectum. Inflammatory bowel disease also can lead to issues outside of the intestine, including anemia, eye inflammation, skin ulcers, liver disease, kidney stones, impaired growth, joint pain and/or osteoporosis.


Approximately 1.4 million Americans live with inflammatory bowel disease, including many children, adolescents, teens and young adults. Early diagnosis and treatment is important for the ongoing management of the disease.

Learn about the diagnosis process and treatment options

Our team of pediatric IBD experts provides comprehensive, compassionate care for your child.

See a list of all our pediatric IBD physicians

Our pediatric IBD physicians are actively involved in basic, clinical and translational research, including clinical studies of new treatments, laboratory studies of the underlying mechanisms of IBD and long-term observational studies.

Read about our active clinical trials

In the Pediatric IBD Health Maintenance Clinic, our dedicated IBD nurse practitioner offers annual wellness and education visits for children and teens ages 10 and up.


Locations with Pediatric IBD Services

Request an Appointment

The information you provide will enable us to assist you as efficiently as possible. A representative will contact you within one to two business days to help you schedule an appointment.

You can also make an appointment with our providers by:

Scheduling a virtual video visit to see a provider from the comfort of your home

Requesting an online second opinion from our specialists 

To speak to someone directly, please call 1-888-824-0200. If you have symptoms of an urgent nature, please call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.

 

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Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

What Parents Need to Know about Kids and IBD

More children are being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, and symptoms can start as early as 18 months old. But once treatment brings inflammation under control, kids can lead a normal life: going to school, playing sports and even eating most of their favorite food. Comer gastroenterologist Ranjana Gokhale, MD, shares her expertise.