Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children |
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- What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
- What is the bowel?
- What causes IBS in children?
- Who gets IBS?
- What are the symptoms of IBS in children?
- How is IBS in children diagnosed?
- How is IBS in children treated?
- What is the outlook for a child with IBS?
- Points to remember
- Hope through research
- For more information
- Find a local Gastroenterologist in your town
What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder marked by abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, and irregular bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation. Functional gastrointestinal disorders are defined by their symptoms. IBS can cause a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it is not life threatening, does not damage the bowel, and does not progress to other diseases. IBS should not be confused with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a group of diseases including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
What is the bowel?
The bowel is the section of the gastrointestinal tract that begins after the stomach, ends at the anus, and has two main sections: the small intestine and the large intestine—also called the colon.
Drawing of the gastrointestinal tract with the esophagus, liver, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus labeled.
The bowel has two main sections: the small intestine and the large intestine.
Picture of the Large Intestine
What causes IBS in children?
The cause of IBS is unknown. Research suggests people with IBS are more sensitive to gas or stool in the colon. People with IBS can also have abnormalities in how their intestines contract, called motility, which refers to the rate stool moves through the intestines. Whereas a faster rate of movement may cause diarrhea, a slower rate may result in constipation.
Researchers have proposed many explanations for the increased bowel sensitivity and abnormal bowel motility associated with IBS, such as
- reactions to certain foods
- overgrowth of bacteria in the colon
- psychological stress, including
anxiety and
depression
- problems in the way the brain and the gastrointestinal tract communicate with each other, called the brain-gut connection
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