QUESTION: What do you see as some of the challenges that parents face?

DR. SZIGETHY: I think parents have to recognize that they're going to need to go through a grieving process, as their child does: really a shock stage, often sadness, often anger, "Why me? Why my child?" and really making sure that they have adequate support systems to deal with that. I think also parents need to recognize that it's especially important that they take care of their own needs, so not to stop their working out, their socializing with friends. Because I've seen a lot of families where the doctor's visits and the hospitalizations and the preoccupation with the treatment or keeping their child well from the IBD sort of take over life and sort of really disrupt family functioning.