Gastroenterology

IBS is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, which is a problem with the way the large intestine or colon works. IBS is not a disease, but rather it consists of symptoms that occur simultaneously. The most common symptom of IBS is functional abdominal pain (i.e., pain...

Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a condition that causes chronic inflammation of the intestines. IBD occurs in children as a result of genetic and environmental factors. For reasons that are not yet clearly understood, the child’s immune system...

For almost 100 years, doctors thought that mental stress and spicy foods caused most ulcers. However, we now know that peptic ulcers in children are caused by a particular bacterial infection in the stomach and upper intestine and by certain medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). A peptic ulcer is...