More children are developing inflammatory bowel disease, according to Medscape Medical News.
What you should know:
1. Ashish Patel, MD, of the Southwestern Center for Pediatric IBD at Children's Medical Center Dallas, said the average age a pediatric patient is diagnosed with IBD is decreasing, with the youngest patient he's ever diagnosed being younger than 12 months.
2. He said the average number of pediatric IBD diagnoses has increased from one to two per month to three to four per month.
3. The upcoming Crohn's and Colitis Congress 2020 will highlight efforts around therapies to address IBD in pediatric patients.
4. The increase is alarming because children with IBD face increased infection rates and can often see their vaccine schedules disrupted.