Medical/Technical Information

Struggles

Teens with IBD may experience delays in their growth and puberty, requiring vitamin and mineral supplements such as calcium or vitamin D as they have difficulty digesting nutrients.

Emotional challenges may come into play with too much stress, an overburden of work, building and maintaining relationships, and body images. Flare ups (symptoms after a period of remission, or when the disease is no longer active) can influence how teens perceive themselves, causing an impact to their emotional and mental health. Some symptoms of flare ups may include diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, rectal pain and bleeding, fatigue, and urgent bowel movements, and although stress is a known factor of causing flare ups, there is no exact known cause.