Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program

Phoenix Children’s offers leading-edge therapies, educational programs, support groups and the chance to join research trials to help kids with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience the best possible health and quality of life.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term for disorders that cause chronic inflammation and damage in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The most common types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. There is currently no cure for IBD. However, doctors at Phoenix Children’s are teaming up with scientists to discover new drugs and treatment strategies that help improve symptoms and reduce the long-term effects of this disease. We also offer state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, such as intestinal ultrasound.

Our goal is for your child to live a completely normal life without IBD symptoms. For each patient, we strive for no evidence of the disease with proper treatment.

Why Choose Phoenix Children’s?

Hundreds of children and adolescents with IBD rely on Phoenix Children’s for their care. They benefit from our specialized training, state-of-the-art technology and vast experience working with children and teens who have IBD.

Our IBD Multidisciplinary Clinic offers you a single visit with several providers who specialize in IBD care, including a pediatric gastroenterologist, pediatric surgeon, registered dietitian, clinical psychologist and an IBD nurse coordinator. This means you have an entire team of experts in your child’s corner. Some of these providers have IBD themselves, so they know from personal experience what it’s like to manage this lifelong disease.

Your child has the added benefit of access to advanced technology at Phoenix Children’s, such as intestinal ultrasound. Phoenix Children’s is the only health system in the region to offer this state-of-the-art imaging option. Intestinal ultrasound is a noninvasive way to evaluate and monitor your child’s GI health.

We work closely with Radiology and Pathology to review results and ensure we meet all your child’s health needs. On a regular basis, we collaborate with experts in each specialty area to discuss the best care plan for children with complex conditions. You also have access to our prior authorization team to help get insurance approvals for procedures and medicine.

We’ll be with you every step of the way to make sure your child gets the treatment and medications they need. To learn more about our IBD program and the Multidisciplinary Clinic, please call our IBD nurse coordinator at 602-933-5754.

Leading-Edge Research and Care Improvements

Phoenix Children’s is the only hospital in Arizona that is a member of Improve Care Now, an international quality improvement and research network. This initiative works toward improved health and standardization of care, specifically for children with IBD. Improve Care Now drives innovation and helps us apply new discoveries to the patient care setting at Phoenix Children’s.

Staying at the forefront of IBD care, our physicians are active leaders in these and other national organizations:

The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation offers extensive resources for families with IBD, including advocacy, special events, and webinars about IBD care and research. They also offer Camp Oasis, a residential summer camp program. Camp Oasis is a fun, safe and supportive environment for children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

We lead and join others in research projects, giving our patients access to clinical trials and new therapy options. This research and widespread collaboration ensure the care we offer remains at the cutting edge, giving you advanced diagnostic and treatment options right here at home.