Gastrointestinal tract symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and fever are frequent causes of visits to the pediatrician. The increasing prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal tract diseases, and the falling median age of their onset, indicate the need to identify new diagnostic methods that can differentiate inflammatory bowel diseases from other gastrointestinal tract conditions. A promising non-invasive and useful marker of intestinal inflammation is fecal calprotectin. The manuscript summarizes currently available information on the use of fecal calprotectin in the diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory bowel disease in children. It also attempts to determine the effect of concentration on its course of action. Incorporating fecal calprotectin (FC) testing within the framework of primary medical care can decrease the number of children unnecessarily referred for endoscopic or radiologic examination. FC screening benefits patients by reducing any delay in diagnosis and avoiding unnecessary exposure to endoscopy, and benefits physicians by reducing pressure on endoscopy testing and assisting the decision. The present paper emphasizes the role of fecal calprotectin as a non-invasive marker for monitoring disease activity and efficacy of therapy, and predicting postoperative relapses, primarily in patients with IBD.

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This study reports the case of a 17-year-old girl with a medical history of abdominal pains, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and stools with mucus and blood. The patient was diagnosed with celiac disease (CeD) and ulcerative colitis. No improvement was observed after a gluten-free diet, metronidazole, mesalazine, and systemic steroid treatment. The patient was administered azathioprine, and the systemic steroid therapy was repeated. The clinical condition worsened, and so Infliximab induction treatment was initiated; however, it was discontinued due to lack of response. Cyclosporine treatment was provided with good results. This case is particularly significant because, although the co-occurrence of CeD and inflammatory bowel disease in children is rare, bearing in mind the possible relationship between these disease entities in the diagnosis and treatment of children with gastrointestinal complaints may improve clinical practice and prevent the incorrect diagnosis or worsening the patient's clinical condition and delaying the implementation of appropriate treatment.