The doctor will take your medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. The disease is particularly difficult to diagnose in children, in whom IBD may be mistaken for an infection or even depression if other characteristic symptoms, such as bloody diarrhea and weight loss, are not present. Slow growth may be a key feature in making a diagnosis, particularly of Crohn's disease, in children.
Several laboratory tests may be taken, such as the following:
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