Patient stories
Two years ago, Jack Aitchison barely had the energy to watch football on the TV. The nine year old was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – and within weeks of starting treatment, was playing football for the first time in his life.
Jack had been suffering from diarrhoea and sickness for over a year, when he was referred to Barts and The London Children’s Hospital. His weight had plummeted, and he was so weak that he had to be helped off his seat to see paediatric gastroenterologist, Dr Sandhia Naik.
“Jack was a pale, malnourished child,” recalls Dr Naik. “We admitted him to hospital as he looked very ill and I was concerned about his weight loss. He had the classic symptoms of Crohn’s, and this was confirmed by a colonoscopy, an investigation using a long flexible telescope. We treated him with a special diet of Modulen IBD [a meal substitute], to help heal the lining of the bowel. Studies have shown that it can be as good as steroids but without the side effects. Six weeks later, he looked like a different child. He’d put on weight and his blood tests were normalising – and Jack is now in remission.”
Jack’s mother, Sally Aitchison, 42, a teaching assistant from Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, says, “Dr Naik was really fantastic and explained everything so clearly. It was an awful time but I felt in safe hands. And my husband Mark and I couldn’t believe it when the staff arranged for Jack to visit Arsenal’s training ground. He’d missed out on so much when he was ill, but this made up for everything.”
Jack, 11, now leads an active life – winning trophies and medals for football. He has regular check-ups with Dr Naik, and sees a nutritionist at The Royal London Hospital to keep his diet on track. “l feel confident about his future,” says Sally. “He’s got so much confidence and energy, he can do anything he wants now.”
What is Crohn’s disease?
Crohn's disease affects approximately one in 1,500 people and causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (gut). The gut consists of the oesophagus (gullet), stomach, and small and large intestine. Typical symptoms include pain, ulcers and diarrhoea. Treatment may include medication and sometimes surgery. Crohn’s disease can develop at any age, but usually starts between 15 and 40.
