This book, published by CCFA, covers such topics as IBD and pregnancy, diet and nutrition, surgical therapy, and alternative medicine. Pediatric patients have special requirements that increase the need for calories and vitamins. The challenge is particularly difficult in CD where one third of young patients will have growth failure and two thirds will have deficiencies in minerals or vitamins. Inadequate nutrition is due to a combination of factors.
Many patients lose calories and nutrients due to chronic diarrhea.
The most important cause of malnutrition in pediatric CD is inadequate intake. This is due to poor appetite and to the symptoms that occur following eating in some patients. In order to document intake, families may complete a three-day food diary, which is analyzed by computer to determine the adequacy of the patient's diet. Based on this information, specific counseling can be provided by a nutritionist to construct an adequate diet and correct deficiencies. The most important patient need is for total calories, or energy intake.