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Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis
What are the symptoms?
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is usually characterised by inflammation of one or more areas of the digestive tract, with normal areas of gut in between. It can occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus but most commonly in the small and large intestine. This inflammation may lead to ulceration, abscesses and strictures in the bowel. It is a chronic (long lasting) condition which can wax and wane over a period of months and years. So far there is no cure but treatment can produce a symptom-free remission.
Oral Crohn's affecting the mouth and lips, occurs quite frequently in children and may occur with or without any involvement of the digestive tract.
With Crohn's disease the symptoms are extremely variable and can include severe abdominal pain (sometimes mistaken for appendicitis), vomiting, nausea, persistent diarrhoea (possibly with blood and/or mucus), constipation, dramatic weight loss, tiredness, anaemia and mouth ulceration. Sometimes the symptoms may not initially suggest bowel disease at all, with the child or young adult feeling very lethargic with a loss of appetite, joint pains, skin rash or even a failure to grow or develop pubertally.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative Colitis involves inflammation of the colon (large bowel) causing ulceration and bleeding. It may affect only the rectum or may spread along the whole length of the colon (universal or total Colitis). It is characterised by periodic relapses where the symptoms recur and periods of remission where the patient is symptom free.
With Ulcerative Colitis the symptoms are usually more acute with severe abdominal pain, persistent diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus (slime) in the stools, and joint pains.
Background
| Inheritance patterns and prenatal diagnosis 
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