Pediatric Bone Loss Due to Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is a gastrointestinal disorder that adversely impacts an individual's ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. As a consequence of inadequate nutrition, children facing Crohn's disease may have difficulty growing at a normal rate. One of the important nutrients found in a normal diet is calcium, which is needed for the development of healthy bones and teeth. A deficiency in calcium can have severe consequences, including the development of weak, brittle bones that do not grow as fast as they should.

Crohn's Disease

• Though the exact cause of the condition remains unknown, the complications involved with Crohn's disease are reasonably well understood. It is just as much an auto-immune disease as one of the gastrointestinal tract. In these patients, the host immune system recognizes foreign objects such as food and the bacteria that normally inhabit the digestive track, called microbiota or microflora, as dangerous invaders. This causes inflammation and a constant presence of white blood cells trying to fight the perceived infection, which can cause ulcers on the lining of the digestive track. During such outbreaks, certain foods only serve to worsen symptoms, including dairy products. Unfortunately, dairy is the main source of calcium in the diets of most people.

Importance of Calcium

• In addition to being vital for the development of strong bones and teeth, calcium plays other important roles in the human body. Blood coagulation, muscle function, nerve function, as well as hormone and enzyme secretion are all examples of other processes that require adequate calcium intake. Not consuming enough calcium over an extended period of time can lead to osteoporosis and can also cause problems with heart and brain function.

Decreased Bone Density with Crohn's

• When the body is low on the readily available calcium it needs to function, cells called osteoblasts break down bone structure in order to access stored calcium for use elsewhere. This is what leads to the decreased bone density in patients suffering from calcium deficiency. Medical studies have concluded that patients with Crohn's commonly have reduced bone mineral density, making their bones more susceptible to painful and potentially debilitating fracturing.

Significance in Pediatric Population

• Because calcium, along with several other vitamins and minerals, is required for healthy growth, children with Crohn's disease struggle to reach normal growth rates. Because growth spurts are especially common in children through puberty, adequate nutrients must be provided. A consequence of malnutrition at this point in life is stunted growth because development cannot be made up later in life. The inflammation, formation of ulcers, and scar tissue found throughout the digestive tract of patients with Crohn's interferes with normal metabolism, which means that other nutrients, such as protein, cannot be processed efficiently either. This further leads to below average growth of muscle tissue and other organ systems.

Treatment

• As of 2010, a cure for Crohn's disease does not exist. However, there are many effective ways available to treat malnutrition and the range of symptoms, some of which can be very painful. Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressing drugs exist to treat the causative symptoms of outbreaks. In addition, special dietary options are available. Doctors may prescribe any variety of treatments ranging from daily vitamins and high-calorie supplements to intravenous injection of nutrients, depending on the severity of the case. Still, two-thirds to three-fourths of patients suffering from Crohn's disease require surgery at some point in their lives, according to National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.