Can Crohn's disease be inherited by children?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 18, 2024
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Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel condition, and its specific causes are not yet very clear. It may be related to environmental factors, lifestyle factors, dietary factors, and genetic factors, and it occurs more often in males than in females. The prevalence of Crohn's disease is relatively low in China. Typical symptoms of Crohn's disease include abdominal pain, diarrhea, intestinal obstruction, and some patients may experience fever, oral mucosal lesions, and liver abnormalities. The current treatment is mainly medication combined with surgical intervention. During active periods, it is important to rest, consume a low-fat, high-nutrition diet, replenish water and electrolytes timely, and if anemia is present, appropriately supplement with B12 and folic acid. Patients with hypoproteinemia should be given albumin.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Is a small intestine ulcer the same as Crohn's disease?

Small intestinal ulcers and Crohn's disease are different. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown cause, commonly occurring in the terminal ileum and right half of the colon. Small intestinal ulcers may be caused by intestinal inflammation and damage to the mucosa, making the ulcers easier to heal, whereas Crohn's disease tends to recur frequently and is not easily cured. Crohn's disease can also affect the joints, skin, liver, and other parts, and may be complicated by acute perforation, bloody stools, intra-abdominal abscesses, and malabsorption syndrome. It is advisable to consult a gastroenterologist and pay attention to adjusting the diet structure, eating meals regularly, and maintaining nutritional balance.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Does Crohn's disease have a genetic component?

Crohn's disease has a certain genetic predisposition, but not all cases of Crohn's disease are inherited from one generation to the next. Current research indicates that its occurrence is related to environmental factors, immune factors, and genetic factors, with a higher incidence in males than in females. The prevalence of Crohn's disease is not particularly high in China. Symptoms are primarily abdominal pain, diarrhea, intestinal obstruction, and nutritional disorders. Some cases may also involve complications such as iridocyclitis, clubbing arthritis, oral mucosal ulcers, and chronic hepatitis. It is important to rest adequately and adjust your diet, favoring frequent light meals, low in fat and high in calories.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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What does Crohn's disease abdominal pain feel like?

Crohn's disease is an inflammation that occurs in the intestines, most commonly found in the terminal ileum and the right half of the colon. Due to the irritation from the inflammation, there is noticeable abdominal pain, which often presents as cramping, and sometimes as dull pain. The severity of the abdominal pain varies with the intensity of the inflammation. In addition to abdominal pain, symptoms may include diarrhea or manifestations of intestinal obstruction. Due to damage to the intestinal wall, complications such as intestinal perforation or rectal bleeding can occur, as well as fever and extraintestinal manifestations like malabsorption disorders. Crohn's disease tends to recur frequently and has a protracted course. It is not easily cured, and thus, strengthening daily care is essential.

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Written by Yang Dong
Colorectal Surgery Department
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Differential Diagnosis between Intestinal Tuberculosis and Crohn's Disease

Intestinal tuberculosis often exhibits symptoms of extraintestinal tuberculosis, whereas Crohn's disease generally does not show signs of extraintestinal tuberculosis. Recurrence of intestinal tuberculosis is not common, whereas Crohn's disease has a longer duration and alternates between remission and relapse. Fistulas, abdominal abscesses, and perianal lesions are relatively rare in intestinal tuberculosis, but Crohn's disease may involve fistulas, abdominal masses, and perianal lesions. Tuberculin skin tests may be positive in patients with intestinal tuberculosis, while in Crohn's disease patients, the test may show a weakly positive result. After antituberculosis treatment, symptoms in patients with intestinal tuberculosis can significantly improve, whereas there is no significant improvement in symptoms in Crohn's disease patients following antituberculosis treatment. Furthermore, histopathological examination in patients with intestinal tuberculosis may reveal Mycobacterium tuberculosis and caseous necrosis. In contrast, Crohn's disease patients show negative results for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pathologic testing and do not exhibit caseous necrosis.

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Written by Chen Rong
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of Crohn's disease?

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, primarily affecting the terminal ileum and adjacent colon, but can involve any digestive tract segment from mouth to anus, displaying either segmental or skip distribution. Clinically, it is characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal mass, fistula formation, and intestinal obstruction. It may also present with fever and extraintestinal manifestations, including joint, skin, eye, and oral mucosa damage. This disease tends to recur throughout a person’s life, and severe cases can be prolonged and unhealing with poor prognosis. The onset age is mostly between 15-30 years, but initial attacks can occur at any age. The incidence rate is similar between genders. Abdominal pain is the most common symptom, often seen in the lower right abdomen or around the navel, presenting intermittently as cramp-like pain accompanied by bowel sounds, typically worsening after eating, and relieved by defecation or passing gas. Diarrhea is another common symptom, initially intermittent but can become persistent in later stages of the disease, with stools generally being pasty and containing mucus and pus-blood. If the lower part of the colon or anorectal area is involved, there may be mucus-bloody stools and a sensation of incomplete evacuation after bowel movements. Abdominal masses are often located in the lower right abdomen and around the navel, and fistula formation is a characteristic clinical manifestation of Crohn's disease.