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Pediatric gastroenterologists diagnose and treat digestive tract problems in young patients, using diagnostic procedures such as physical exams, imaging, and laboratory analysis. Treatment may involve medication, laxatives, endoscopic procedures, or surgery. Becoming a pediatric gastroenterologist requires up to 11 years of medical training.
A pediatric gastroenterologist specializes in identifying and treating digestive tract problems in young patients. He or she has expert knowledge of digestive disorders, as well as the unique developmental issues that some babies and children face. Physicians evaluate clinical trial results, prescribe medications, and administer minimally invasive treatment procedures. Experienced pediatric gastroenterologists work in many different settings, including children’s hospitals, general hospitals, specialty clinics and private practices.
Most of the patients that pediatric gastroenterologists see were referred to them by primary care pediatricians. When meeting with a new patient and their parents, the gastroenterologist asks questions about symptoms and reviews past medical findings to gain a basic understanding of the problem. The doctor usually performs a physical exam and takes diagnostic images of the gastrointestinal tract to look for physical abnormalities. He or she may also decide to collect blood and urine samples for laboratory analysis.
Pediatric gastroenterologists see patients with common digestive problems such as diarrhea and lactose intolerance, as well as more complex conditions such as Crohn’s disease and pancreatitis. Such disorders usually require more detailed diagnostic procedures. A doctor may need to insert an endoscope, a small camera on the end of a lighted tube, through the mouth and into the gastrointestinal tract to discover inflammation or blockages.
After making a certain diagnosis, the pediatric gastroenterologist can determine the appropriate treatment measures to be taken. Many problems can be treated with prescription drugs and laxatives, although more direct therapies are needed for difficult cases. Obstructions and structural disorders often require surgery to prevent serious health complications. A pediatric gastroenterologist may be able to perform simple procedures that can be performed with an endoscope in his office. If a problem cannot be corrected without major intervention, the physician may refer the patient to an experienced pediatric surgeon.
An individual who wants to become a pediatric gastroenterologist must complete four years of medical school, followed by up to seven years of practical training. After earning a doctor of medicine degree, a new physician usually joins a three-year medical residency program at a general hospital to gain supervised experience working directly with patients of all ages. He or she enters into a specialty fellowship for two to four years, during which time the physician works exclusively with young patients suffering from digestive disorders. After a fellowship and success in a board certification exam, a pediatric gastroenterologist can begin to practice independently.
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