| Interventions |
Potential participants will be identified by their clinical team by reviewing referrals to out-patient clinics, children attending for ward review or referred directly for investigations such as endoscopy. Children will be asked to collect a stool sample to bring to the hospital. Stool samples will be used for the measurement of calprotectin for the assessment of intestinal inflammation as part of routine clinical practice. Following informed consent, an aliquot of the stool sample will be stored for the measurement of VOCs at the end of the study. Faecal VOCs will be measured by two methods: i) headspace SPME-Combipal GCMS and ii) the GC-sensor doreader The clinical team will undertake investigations as appropriate to determine the diagnosis/diagnoses. The clinical records of all children will be reviewed 3 months after recruitment to record the results of investigations and diagnoses. In children who are diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, the follow-up at 3 months will also assess disease activity and record the treatment that they have received. |