One of the most awful things for a parent to watch is their child in pain without knowing why. That’s exactly how Dahlia Stroud felt two years ago, when her young son Rocco began losing weight and spiking fevers.
She took him to see the GP several times but was told he had a virus and low iron. Rocco, who was only 8 at the time, was looking pale and tired all of the time.
Dahlia was very worried and knew something wasn't right. After many hospital visits, an endoscopy and a colonoscopy, the family finally had some answers.
Rocco was diagnosed with Crohn’s in February 2022. The disease is one of the main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, affecting more than 200,000 people in the UK.
It’s an autoimmune condition, causing painful ulcers and inflammation in the gut. The list of symptoms is long and varied and can include, blood in your poo, frequent urgent diarrhoea and fatigue. What made Rocco’s diagnosis more difficult, was that he wasn’t experiencing some of the more typical warning signs.
Dahlia, from Leeds, said: “I was vaguely aware of Crohn’s, but I didn’t know the ins and outs of what living with the disease meant for Rocco.” His new way of life took a lot of getting used to for everyone, from leaving birthday parties early before the food was served, to being brave about going for multiple blood tests.
“The biggest impact on our family life was during the initial few weeks when Rocco had to go on a liquid diet. It was a big adjustment for us all, and it felt like he had to climb a huge mountain and we had to know how to support him,” his mum continued.
Rocco and his parents have nothing but praise for the team of IBD doctors and nurses at Leeds Children’s Hospital, who went above and beyond to help them adjust to their new reality. Dahlia said: “They were nothing short of amazing and gave us the confidence that we could support Rocco in managing the condition. Now we know this is the journey he will be on, we are keen to make it together as a family.
“From the start, we talked to Rocco about what Crohn’s is, and we watched videos together, to help him understand his condition.”
Once he felt well enough, Rocco decided he wanted to share his experiences with his school friends and teachers, so that they could support him too. He spoke about his illness in an assembly on World IBD Day, on May 19.
He even fundraised for Crohn’s & Colitis UK by taking part in the charity’s MyWalkIt challenge.
Crohn’s & Colitis UK’s CEO Sarah Sleet said: “There are more than 500,000 people in the UK with Crohn’s and Colitis, and we’re here to support them. Rocco has dealt with so much, so young, and is still thinking about how to spread awareness and support others.
"He is an incredible boy. It’s worrying for any parent to find out that their child has a life-long condition. We have lots of resources available to support Dahlia, Rocco, and other families just like theirs.”
As for Rocco, he is now nine, and loves football, playing trading cards, and karate – which he’s just received his brown belt in. He’s getting ready to spend the school summer holidays with his friends and family.
His advice for anyone going through the same thing is simple: “Be strong and don’t let things take you down”.
