Author: Manisha “Mona” Dave, MD Pediatric Gastroenterologist

Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a condition that causes chronic inflammation of the intestines. IBD occurs in children as a result of genetic and environmental factors. For reasons that are not yet clearly understood, the child’s immune system...

Food allergies occur when a child's body reacts to a specific food as if it were a harmful substance. The immune system sends antibodies to fight off the food allergen. The antibodies release chemicals, such as histamine, which trigger symptoms, creating an allergic reaction. In...

Failure to thrive (FTT) or poor weight gain refers to a condition in which an infant or child does not gain weight at the expected standard of growth. FTT is not a disease, but rather a sign that a child is undernourished. Because FTT typically occurs...

For almost 100 years, doctors thought that mental stress and spicy foods caused most ulcers. However, we now know that peptic ulcers in children are caused by a particular bacterial infection in the stomach and upper intestine and by certain medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). A peptic ulcer is...