IBD in children younger than two years of age

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a rare condition in children, but an increasing prevalence of IBD during childhood has been described in the last few decades. IBD onset is exceptional in infancy when the natural course is unpredictable and can be often more severe than in the older age. We report a series of 11 cases diagnosed during the first two years of life, with different clinical course and follow-up. When diagnosed in infants, IBD may underlie immunologic defects or may be associated with other autoimmune disorders. The prognosis of IBD diagnosed in infancy does appear more severe with higher mortality rate. The recently proposed biological therapy may be helpful in improving the course of early onset Crohn's disease.