Videos

Clinical Case Study: Utilizing Partial Enteral Nutrition (PEN) with the Crohn’s Disease Exclusive Diet (CDED) in Clinical Care of IBD

What nutritional therapy options are available to help manage Crohn’s disease in my pediatric patient?

Presenter(s): David L Suskind, MD

Publication Date: 18 November 2025

Summary:

Case studies are an excellent way to learn concepts to apply to clinical practice. Join David Suskind, MD, in our case study series as he highlights the nutrition management of a pediatric patient with Crohn’s disease using partial enteral nutrition (PEN) combined with the Crohn’s disease exclusion diet (CDED).

Key Takeaways:
  • Nutritional therapy and diet play a central role in the management of Crohn’s disease.
  • Entire enteral nutrition (EEN), partial enteral nutrition (PEN), and Crohn's disease exclusive diet (CDED) are three dietary strategies that have strong evidence for managing Crohn’s disease.
Related Questions & Answers
  • What is partial enteral nutrition (PEN)
    PEN has been defined in different ways, but most studies describe it as providing roughly 50% of daily calories from formula and 50% from whole foods.
  • What is Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED)?
    The CDED diet is a three-phased dietary plan.  Each phase combines a partial enteral nutrition component with a progressively liberalized whole food diet.
  • What are the core required foods in the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED)?
    The core required foods in the CDED include chicken breast, eggs, potatoes, bananas and apples, along with a variety of other allowed items.
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Presenter Bio(s):

David L Suskind, MD

Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Gastroenterology
Seattle Children's Hospital
University of Washington
Seattle, WA, USA

Dr David L Suskind is a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, serving as the Director of Quality Assurance and Improvement as well as ImproveCareNow Physician Lead at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He is a recognized leader in the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly in integrating dietary therapies into clinical care. Dr Suskind’s research has demonstrated that the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) can induce clinical and biochemical remission in pediatric patients with active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. His studies also explore how dietary interventions influence the fecal microbiome, aiming to personalize treatment approaches. As a founder of NiMBAL (Nutrition in IBD and Lifestyle), Dr Suskind advocates for patient and family empowerment through education and evidence-based dietary strategies. His ongoing commitment to advancing pediatric gastroenterology has made a significant impact on both clinical practice and patient quality of life.

References:
  • Day AS, Lopez RN. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(22):6809-6816.
  • Levine A, et al. Gastroenterology. 2019;157(2):440-450.e8.
  • ModuLife. Published 2024. Accessed July 9, 2025. https://mymodulife.com/
  • van Rheenen PF, et al. J Crohns Colitis. Published online October 7, 2020. Bischoff SC, et al. Clin Nutr. 2020;39(3):632-653.
  • Lee D, et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2015;21(8):1786-1793.
Category
Pediatric Inpatient Nutrition