Nursing and therapeutic activities of a nurse in caring for a child with Crohn’s disease during its exacerbation

Abstract

Introduction. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology. It is most often diagnosed in children and adolescents. The symptoms characteristic of the disease include abdominal pain, passing diarrheal stools, often with the presence of pathological admixtures: blood, pus or mucus and weight loss. The basic step in the therapeutic process is the intravenous or oral rehydration of the child, pharmacotherapy and nutritional treatment. The aim of the implemented therapy is to keep the patient in remission that lasts as long as possible.

The aim. The aim of the work is to show the care and therapeutic problems of a child with exacerbation of Crohn’s disease in hospital conditions and the nursing staff towards the patient.

Case presentation. A 15-year-old patient on the second day of hospitalization was admitted to the ward with suspected exacerbation of Crohn’s disease. The patient reports numerous diarrhea (from 10 to 15 bowel movements a day) and abdominal pain. On admission, the patient’s body temperature was 38.4°C. The girl and her parents show a lack of knowledge about the disease and what to do in case of exacerbation.

Conclusion. A very important aspect in the treatment of Crohn’s disease in the described patient is compliance with dietary recommendations and systematic use of prescribed pharmacological agents. It is not possible to cure the disease completely, but the measures taken to combat the disease allow for long remission and reduce the risk of its serious complications.