Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program

IBD refers to two separate conditions that cause inflammation in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. These conditions are:

• Crohn's disease. Crohn’s disease involves the small and large intestines.
• Ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis can affect all or part of the large intestine.

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Riley at IU Health treats children with IBD through special monthly appointments. These appointments let you and your child see a pediatric gastroenterologist, a dietitian and an IBD research nurse all during the same visit. If needed, you and your child can also consult with our psychologist, social worker, pediatric surgeon and parent mentors.

As part of Riley at IU Health, we can utilize many additional resources such as extensive pediatric specialists, specialized pediatric equipment and many supportive pediatric programs sponsored by Child Life.

Your child will be evaluated by gastrointestinal specialists who are fellowship-trained and board certified. We use capsule endoscopy to explore the intestines. This procedure allows us to examine your child's condition without using radiation or tubes.

We have been successfully treating children with IBD for more than 30 years with advanced diagnostic tests and treatment options. We tailor care for each child to provide the best treatment possible.

Our doctors regularly attend medical conferences to learn about the latest treatments and ways to manage IBD. The large size of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Riley at IU Health allows our team to participate in national and international research studies and quality improvement organizations. This makes more treatments available to children with moderate to severe disease who do not respond to standard therapies.