Аннотация:It is estimated that of the >1 million individuals in the United States with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ≈100,000 are children. IBD that begins in childhood affects the individual at a critical period of growth and development. Children with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may experience complications such as growth failure, school absence, and depression. In addition, because children with IBD have fewer environmental confounders such as smoking, children may be an excellent population to study microbial and immune interactions. Despite these opportunities, the discipline of pediatric IBD investigation is still in its infancy.