Living with IBD can be tough - for your child and for your family

Every day, I speak with parents who are doing everything they can to help their child live well with Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.

IBD can be incredibly isolating. It can feel like no-one understands just how hard things can be. From the outside, your child or teen might look fine, yet inside they can be battling fatigue, pain, and anxiety that affects every part of their life. You can see the toll it takes - missing school, skipping sleepovers, sitting out of moments they should be enjoying. It affects family life too - including siblings - and at times, it can feel brutally hard.

As a parent, you’d do anything to take it all away. Instead, you may find yourself holding your breath between hospital appointments - watching, waiting, hoping. You fight for answers, for better care, for your child or teen to be heard. And when you’re told “this is as good as it gets,” it can feel devastating.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way. With the right nutritional and lifestyle support — and functional testing where it’s needed - we can work together to calm inflammation, support healing, and help your child back to feel more like themselves again.

IBD challenges for children and teens go beyond digestion

When a child or teenager lives with inflammatory bowel disease, it reaches far beyond digestion - it can touch nearly every part of their life.

You might see your child or teen coping with:

Persistent fatigue or low energy
Abdominal pain, nausea or urgency
Missed school days and disrupted learning
Anxiety around food, friendships or flare-ups
Changes in weight or growth
Eczema, acne, psoriasis, or joint pain

Over time, these challenges can wear away at your child's confidence and sense of normality, and they can take a toll on you too. You may find yourself constantly watching for signs of change, worrying about the future, and trying to hold everything together.

No symptom or struggle is too small. You and your child deserve to be heard - and helped. I’m here to listen, support, and bring clarity and calm to your next steps.

Ways to support Children and teens alongside their IBD medical journey

From endoscopies to biologic therapies, many children with IBD face significant medical interventions. As a parent you may find yourself managing appointments, medications, and a range of opinions from healthcare professionals, family, and peers - all while trying to make the best decisions for your child.

And still, you may find yourself wondering:

Why is this happening, and is this really all we can do?
Can side effects be reduced?
What's safe to use alongside medical treatment?

I help bridge these gaps. This isn’t about choosing between medicine and nutrition, but about integrating both, combining evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies with your child’s existing care.

I support families at every stage: from new diagnoses and early treatment decisions to those already on medication but still managing unresolved symptoms. Each plan is collaborative, aligned with your values, and designed to complement your medical team’s guidance.

Support may include:

Reducing or managing side effects such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, hair loss, low mood, fatigue
Nutritional guidance for flare, recovery and remission phases
Replenishing nutrients that medications may deplete, supporting healthy weight and growth
Gentle pre and post-procedure support
Assessing safe, evidence-based complementary options where appropriate
Identifying triggers and underlying drivers of symptoms
Supporting emotional wellbeing and resilience

You don’t need to navigate this alone. Thoughtful, integrated support can help your child - and your family feel more informed, confident and in control.

"We’re so thankful for Annette’s care and compassion throughout. She truly understood what it felt like to be a mum watching her child go through this (it's heart breaking) and she always made time for us. Her kindness and guidance made such a difference - both to our daughter and to our whole family."

Sam, daughter aged 12

IBD

My Holistic Approach to Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis - Tailored to Your Child and Family

1

Personalised Understanding

Each child’s experience of IBD is different. I take time to understand your child’s story — their symptoms, history, and what may have influenced their health so far.

Together, we look for the underlying factors contributing to their condition, using functional testing where appropriate to guide next steps.

2

Progress with Purpose

We begin with what matters most: easing discomfort, normalising bowel movements, resolving nausea, and restoring energy - so your child can begin to feel better quickly.

From there, I guide a structured, layered approach to support gradual, lasting improvement.

3

Collaborative Partnership

You and your child are central to how we work.

Some families want clear, step-by-step direction. Others prefer to understand the deeper 'why', building knowledge for the long-term.

I adapt to your preferences and, where suitable, involve your child too - so they feel included, respected, and empowered in their own care.

4

Family-Centred Care

I'm there to support you, too. Caring for a child with IBD can be exhausting - physically and emotionally. I understand; I've been there myself.

Alongside your child's plan, I help you strengthen your own resilience and wellbeing so you can stay grounded and supported throughout.

5

Integrative Approach

All recommendations are designed to work alongside your child's medical treatment.

This is always a joined-up approach, keeping your child's health, comfort, and stability at the heart of everything we do.

Holistic plan for Children with Crohn's or Colitis

Each plan is tailored to your child's unique needs and situation. Depending on what's most relevant, your plan may include:

Healing Nutrition (Diet)
You may have been told that diet doesn’t matter - your instincts may tell you otherwise. In reality, food can make a big difference in IBD. I'll guide you on what to avoid (like certain additives) and what to include - from soothing, gut-friendly meals to foods that help rebuild the microbiome (stage appropriate).

If your child is following a structured diet (like SCD, IBD-AID, or CDED) but it feels overly restrictive, we can adapt it to make it more sustainable. Alternatively, I can design a personalised plan that fits your child's needs and your family lifestyle.

Targeted Supplements
Where appropriate, I may recommend age-appropriate, evidence-based supplements that are compatible with current medications. These may support nutrient restoration, gut barrier repair or inflammation control as an example.

Lifestyle & Stress Management
Stress doesn’t just affect mood, it can trigger flares. We’ll work on calming your child’s nervous system, building resilience to stress, and managing anxiety in practical, child-friendly ways. From breathing exercises, to gentle herbal support or routine tweaks that reduce overwhelm and ease daily pressure.

Optional Functional Testing
If helpful, we can explore root causes like:

Gut imbalances (e.g. parasites, mould, bacterial overgrowth)
Gut lining or enzyme issues
Nervous system or vagal tone dysfunction
Genetic traits and detox challenges, plus many more.

We always discuss what’s useful, what’s optional, and what’s affordable. I also work with any hospital data you already have, so nothing is repeated unnecessarily.

When we've identified the root of what's going on, we're in a better place to redress imbalances and support deeper long-term healing.

Explore more on testing -

Learn More

Realistic Results and Real Hope

IBD is complex, but that doesn’t mean your child has to live in constant discomfort.

Many families begin to notice positive changes within the first few weeks: steadier digestion, fewer flare-ups, and improved energy. Broader improvements such as growth, symptom stability, and renewed confidence tend to build gradually over time.

I work with children who have moved from debilitating symptoms, daily pain and fatigue to attending school consistently, re-engaging with friends, and feeling more at ease in their bodies. Each child's journey is different, but the goal is the same: to create more stability, comfort, and freedom in everyday life.

What we aim to achieve isn’t just fewer symptoms - but identifying root causes, resolving triggers, rebuilding resilience and stability, and strengthening the body so your child can feel confident, capable, and joyful again.

This is the heart of my work. I specialise in supporting children with IBD and chronic gut or immune challenges, combining functional nutrition, evidence-based strategies, and the perspective that comes from lived experience as a parent.

For more about my personal story, visit My Story.

To hear from other parents, see Reviews.

For an overview of my work with young people, visit Children.

If your child is living with ongoing health challenges and you'd like to explore how functional nutrition may help, you're welcome to book a short introductory call.

There's no cost - it's simply a relaxed chance to talk through your child's situation, learn more about how this approach works, and see whether it feels like the right fit for your family.

Book a Call