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A summary of how staff can help support children with IBD



What is IBD?



The two most common forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. These are life-long chronic conditions which can cause severe stomach pain, an urgent need to use the toilet, diarrhoea, extreme tiredness, nausea and loss of appetite. IBD can also delay growth and cause extreme thinness. Some children and young people with IBD also have joint pains, eye problems and mouth ulcers.

Symptoms fluctuate and periods of remission can be followed by acute ‘flare ups’. Treatment for IBD often includes courses of drugs which can cause excessive weight gain, a moon-face, spottiness and mood swings. Some children are treated by being put on exclusive liquid diets, and may have a feeding tube. IBD can be very embarrassing to a child or young personand very painful, both physically and psychologically.



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​Actions that can help:



• Let the child/young person leave and return to the classroom discreetly and without having to get permission whenever they need the toilet. If other toilets are locked or some distance away, let them use a staff toilet.
• Appreciate that they may arrive late at school or for lessons because of an urgent need to use a toilet or because joint pains have slowed them down.
• Be aware that a child/young person with IBD may need to take medication during school hours and/or need extra meal breaks.
• Respect their embarrassment about their condition and their need for privacy; they should decide how much other pupils are told.
• Try to be alert for bullying from others.
• Let them judge for themselves how much sport/PE or after-school activities they can join in - but don’t stop them trying whatever they want to try.
• Don’t exclude pupils with IBD from school trips: talk to them about their needs and try and arrange to meet these, eg with an aisle seat at the theatre or cinema and using a coach with a toilet.
• If a child/young person with IBD is unwell at school, don’t rush to send them home – sometimes they may be able to continue after a rest.
  
• If they have to have time off, either at home or in hospital, encourage the class to keep in touch, for example with cards and phone calls or by email.
• Do not automatically wait for them to return to school before offering schoolwork. They may be able to do some work at home and would like to keep up with others in their class. For example, provide notes on lessons and arrange for work to be set by email.
• Arrange a liaison teacher for the child/young person, their parents and other teachers to talk to.
• Keep in touch with parents about their child’s ongoing or changing needs. If possible, an individual health care plan should be drawn up for each child/young person, which can be passed on as they move up the school.

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More Information:

If further information would be helpful, contact the Crohn's and Colitis UK Information Line: 0845 130 2233, open Monday to Friday 10am-1pm. There is an answerphone service outside these hours, or you may email
info@crohnsandcolitis.org.uk.

This and all our other information sheets can be downloaded from: www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk