A nurse caring for a pediatric client with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) understands that there are variances in the presentation of IBD between children and adults. Which variances does the nurse anticipate for this pediatric client?

Question

Select all that apply.
A) Children suffer from Crohn disease more frequently than ulcerative colitis
B) Pediatric clients often present with fistulizing or stricturing disease.
C) Pediatric clients usually have colonic involvement.
D) Pediatric clients more often present with left-sided colitis.
E) IBD is more common in females than males in the pediatric population

Answer 1

Answer: A, C

The pediatric etiology of IBD differs from that of adult-onset IBD. For example, IBD is more common in males than females in the pediatric population, whereas equal numbers of adult males and females have IBD. In addition, children suffer from Crohn disease more frequently than ulcerative colitis; the opposite is true of adults. Adults with Crohn disease usually present with terminal ileal disease without colonic involvement; the majority of pediatric clients have ileocolonic or colonic disease. Children with Crohn disease usually present with inflammatory disease; adults often present with fistulizing or stricturing disease. Similarly, children with ulcerative colitis usually present with pancolitis, whereas adults more often present with left-sided colitis.