http://www.medicinenet.com/biological_therapy/article.htm

Audrey this is a pretty good website to check out...
There are lots of treatments out there... Doctors don't know everything... They treat symptoms...
I believe this biological therapy is one that aims at the immune system in trying to control the bodies reaction to Crohns.

We have crohns in my family right now my sister and I both have it... My sister has had to have the surgical removal of her colon and has an illeostomy. She has been on Remicade and has been on it for a long time... She is healthy & perky and doing well!
I have learned to control my symptoms of flares through diet. I have always been able to watch what I am eating... think it started for me when I was nearly your sons age. (I thought I was just dealing with lactose issues... for years I noticed flares after milk and dairy products were eaten. I am now 52 years old and still do not take any medications. I stay away from dairy and avoid eating a sugar rich diet. I eat whole foods- nothing processed or prepackaged. How bad is your son? Have you considered dietary
measures? Google search everything to get informed...research grows daily! Be an active partner in wellness with his doctor...learn all you can to make informed decisions.
Just remember our bodies hold the key to wellness & we need to be able to unlock just the right door that will work for each of us...
Good luck! Not too much out there on dietary measures but many of us are living proof. A daily food diary is a big help to learning which foods may be triggers for your son. Hang in there he is not alone...

Could not agree more with Reply # 1.
Trial and error will finally guide you and your son to an understanding of what helps and what does not. Read Walker, Gerson, juicing books, look into raw fresh produce ( organic ) non packaged or processed, low gluten, no dairy etc. It is a wealth of information to process but by experimenting as you learn the healing process begins.

I have control of my UC as a result of this method of personal treatment. When I flare I do use medication, but I keep flares to a minimum and their duration and intensity is on the decrease.

Good luck

I admire everyone's ability to control flares through diet. I feel like I was there at some point, but I want to get back to that point but even better (no processed packaged foods at all). My body doesn't like anything new right now....haven't started treatment of a new med yet.

We do eat a whole foods type of diet... no processed foods, organic when I can afford it, low sugar, etc... so no big problems there, he was raised on healthy food... As a teen he doesn't eat as well as I taught him but he is better than most and usually makes healthy diet choices. He did notice that dairy increased his pain so he cut them out a couple of months ago..... he is pretty bad right now, his bowel has ulcers and is infected, lots of stomach pain and lower abdominal pain which he is on Vicoden for, and lots of vomiting.... he hasn't eaten anything solid in 7 days and has needed IV fluids twice in the last week. He ate 2 saltines this morning! :) He is now keeping fluids down with the help of anti nausea meds..... They put him on 2 anti boitics for the infection and I'm hoping that will also help until they start treatment.

Thanks for the info..... I'll spend some time with google today.