Gastroenterology

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition that causes chronic inflammation of the intestines. For reasons that are not yet clearly understood, the child’s immune system becomes abnormally active against his or her own intestines. Researchers aren’t sure what causes this, but IBD seems to...

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a condition in which children have repeated or cycles of vomiting with periods of being completely symptom-free in between the episodes. Parents often have mistaken the vomiting episodes as a “stomach bug” or “food poisoning.” The vomiting episodes are extremely...

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which the lining of the large intestine (colon) becomes inflamed and ulcers develop, which produce mucus and pus. UC occurs when the body's immune system mistakes food and other necessary materials in the intestine for...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children is a digestive disorder in which the gastric acid from the stomach moves upward into the esophagus. Most people have gastric acid reflux occasionally; however, if reflux is occurring frequently, it can develop into GERD. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is the result...

Diarrhea is an increase in the looseness (usually runny or watery) and frequency of bowel movements per day. Diarrhea that lasts less than one week is considered to be acute diarrhea, while diarrhea lasting longer than four weeks is called chronic diarrhea. Most acute cases...