Pediatric digestive health care at Dell Children’s
Pediatric gastroenterologists with a clinical focus on neurogastroenterology at Dell Children’s Medical Center, part of Ascension Seton have the expertise to diagnose, treat and manage the care of children who have motility disorders that affect the gastrointestinal system such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The right care for your child starts with doctors and care teams who listen to understand your child and your concerns. Your child’s doctor determines the cause of your child’s symptoms and creates a care plan customized for your child’s needs. Our goal is to help provide your child relief from symptoms.
At Dell Children’s, we take a multidisciplinary approach to care. That means your child will benefit from the expertise of multiple pediatric specialists. Your child’s care team may include pediatric GI doctors, registered dietitians, certified child life specialists, physical therapists, child psychologists and more. We work together with you to create a care plan that’s right for your child.
Motility disorders
A motility disorder is a digestive issue where the nerves and muscles in the gut don't work together correctly. Your child’s care team at Dell Children’s has the expertise to diagnose and treat children for many of the most common and rare neuro digestive conditions or symptoms related to other disorders, such as:
- Achalasia (rare swallowing disorder)
- Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO)
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- Functional abdominal pain
- Abdominal migraines
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Cyclic vomiting syndrome
- Gastroparesis
- Hirschsprung’s disease (HD)
- Rumination syndrome
- Spina bifida
What is neurogastroenterology?
Neurogastroenterologists are doctors who specialize in treating children with digestive health disorders, and study the relationship between the brain and the gut. Neurogastroenterology is a subspecialty of gastroenterology with a focus on neurology. It combines the study of disorders of the gut and brain and how they interact with each other--relationship between the body’s nervous system and digestive system.
Specializing in the connection between mental and GI health
At Dell Children’s, we care for the whole child – physical and emotional health. Sometimes, mental and emotional health can affect gut health, in what is known as the brain-gut connection. That’s why a pediatric psychologist is part of your child’s care team. So while your child’s GI doctor is caring for their physical health, your child’s pediatric psychologist cares for their mental health.
Our pediatric psychologist works with children to care for stress and anxiety that may be making GI symptoms such as pain, diarrhea or constipation worse. Your child’s psychologist can teach them about relaxation techniques and other tools they can use to help reduce stress and anxiety. Many times, when a child is better able to cope, their GI symptoms may be reduced.