Abu Dhabi, 27 September 2021:  Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), part of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, (SEHA) – the UAE’s largest healthcare network, continues the successful treatment journey of 17-year-old girl who had been suffering from Crohn’s disease for over half a decade. 

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, which may present with abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. Unfortunately Crohn’s disease can be both painful and debilitating if not diagnosed and treated appropriately. There is currently no known cure for this disease, but therapies have proven to greatly reduce its signs and symptoms and bring long term-remission and very good quality of life. The right treatment plan coupled with a healthy lifestyle may allow those with Crohn’s disease to live a normal life.  
Zainab was first evaluated at SKMC when she was 11 years old, presenting with abdominal pain and constant diarrhea, resulting in general weakness and failure to thrive as an active and healthy child. The Pediatric Gastroenterologist (GI) team were consulted and following thorough examination, Zainab was confirmed to have Crohn’s disease after carrying out necessary lab work, including an endoscopy, colonoscopy, and biopsy.

Following her diagnosis, a treatment plan was initiated that aimed to improve Zainab’s gastrointestinal tract and associated symptoms and allow her to lead a normal life. Almost immediately, Zainab’s condition improved significantly – her constant diarrhea slowed, and she was able to gain and maintain a healthy body weight, without any side effects to the medications and treatment plan. 

Dr. Mohammed Miqdady, Division Chief, Pediatric GI, SKMC, said: “A multi-disciplinary treatment plan that considers all aspects of a child’s lifestyle is extremely important when treating Crohn’s, to make sure the child thrives physically, mentally and socially. I am proud the health of Zainab and others like her continue to improve significantly, thanks to our holistic approach to caring for patients.” 

“A common issue with inflammatory bowel diseases is misdiagnosis and late diagnosis. I am hopeful that a more streamlined diagnosis process and better treatment options will be available in the future. Medicine is in a constant journey of research and advancement, and there is currently a significant amount of research being conducted to further improve and strengthen the diagnosis and treatment approach to IBD, more specifically, Crohn’s Disease. Here at SKMC, we provide a medical fellowship training in Pediatric GI, where we conduct several research tasks on different Pediatric GI diseases. There is always hope for a brighter future for all our pediatric patients.”

“Pediatric GI is a well-established service at SKMC that provides diagnosis and management for infants, children, and adolescents with various gastroenterological, nutrition, and hepatology disorders. GI services at SKMC offer state-of-the-art treatment by our highly specialized team who strive to deliver family-centered care.”

Zainab, said: “I was a young 11-year-old when I first met the team at SKMC, prior to which I was really not living my childhood. My symptoms were getting out of control and there seemed to be no end in sight.  I am thankful to the team at SKMC who have been treating me for over 5 years now, the team never stopped trying new therapies and treatments to help me get better and eventually progress into remission, with all my symptoms now under control.”