There is a tendency for children and other relatives of people with IBD to develop these conditions too. This may be for genetic reasons. Inflammatory bowel disease can be managed through nutritional therapy, medication, surgery, or a combination of these treatments. Complications of IBD Potential complications of IBD include malnutrition and malabsorption. Malnutrition is the lack of nutrients provided to the body, and is often simply the result of poor appetite caused by associating food with pain.
Malabsorption is the inability of the body to completely absorb certain key nutrients.
For more on this topic, see the next section on Diet and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflammatory bowel disease may lead to changes in the intestine itself. People with Crohn's disease may have complications such as scarring and narrowing of the ileum, resulting in obstructions in which food becomes blocked and can't pass through the intestine. This may be dangerous and necessitate surgery. Infections may develop, but they can be corrected by antibiotics or surgery.