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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2011; 17(22): 2691-2695
Published online Jun 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i22.2691
Inflammatory bowel disease in adolescents: What problems does it pose?
Ying Lu, James Markowitz
Ying Lu, James Markowitz, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, United States
Author contributions: Lu Y and Markowitz J contributed equally to writing this paper.
Correspondence to: Ying Lu, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, 269-01 76th Avenue, Room 234, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, United States. ylu@nshs.edu
Telephone: +1-718-4703430 Fax: +1-718-9622908
Received: February 27, 2010
Revised: April 2, 2010
Accepted: April 9, 2010
Published online: June 14, 2011
Abstract

Adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease face daily and long-term challenges that may be difficult for teenagers to manage. The developmental and psychosocial changes unique to this age group include becoming more autonomous and being more vulnerable to peer influence. These changes may lead to problems in medical management such as poor medication adherence and risky behavior. Being aware of these issues will help the medical team provide anticipatory guidance to address these concerns.

Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease, Adolescent, Patient compliance, Growth and development, Nutrition, Peer group, Risk behavior