expert digestive care for kids
Our board-certified pediatric gastroenterologists diagnose and treat stomach pain, constipation, celiac disease and IBD, partnering with your family every step.
The Pediatric Difference
Expert, coordinated care made just for kids
Board-Certified
Board-certified pediatric gastroenterology specialists
Tailored Care Plans
Care plans that evolve with your child’s age, growth and goals
why families choose Dayton Children’s
care designed just for kids
Everything we do is designed around children and teens, not adapted from adult medicine, so your child receives care created just for them.
a whole team around your child
Gastroenterologists, dietitians, mental health specialists and nurse practitioners work together on your child’s care plan.
gentle, child-sized diagnostics
We use minimally invasive testing and child-appropriate technology to find answers with less stress.
nationally connected IBD care
Our inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) center participates in ImproveCareNow, a national network improving care for Crohn’s and colitis.
conditions we treat
We bring specialized expertise, gentle diagnostics and team-based care together to treat a wide range of conditions affecting your child’s digestion, nutrition and growth.
- Stomach pain and chronic bloating
- Constipation, including severe or long-lasting
- Celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (IBD)
- Diarrhea lasting more than two weeks
- Acid reflux (GER)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Food allergies and intolerances
- Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)
- Feeding and swallowing difficulties
- Blood in stool or rectal bleeding
- Frequent vomiting
- Poor growth or failure to thrive
- Liver, pancreas and gallbladder issues
- View more conditions we treat →
gastroenterology care close to home
common
questions
Pediatric gastroenterologists specialize in how digestive conditions affect growing bodies — a child’s nutrition, growth, immune system and energy. Our team is also trained to make exams and testing less stressful for infants, children and teens.
It depends on your insurance. Some plans require a referral from your child’s primary care provider. Contact our billing team if you’re unsure. We can help!
We work to schedule every patient as soon as possible after receiving a referral, prioritizing appointments based on your child’s clinical needs. You can also explore online scheduling to get started right away.
Not necessarily. Your child’s first appointment is a consultation — a conversation, a physical exam and possibly lab work, with no procedures that day. If testing like an endoscopy is needed, our procedure nurses will walk you through scheduling, preparation and exactly what to expect.
Jamal’s story
When Jamal was just 8 years old, he suddenly stopped eating and began losing weight rapidly. Despite these alarming symptoms, when Jamal went to the emergency department, he was diagnosed with a virus, given fluids and sent home to recover.
As Thanksgiving approached, Jamal’s condition worsened. This time, after being admitted to the hospital, his care team performed a full scope of his digestive tract, from the top and bottom. The diagnosis came back as Crohn’s disease, one of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), with severe inflammation throughout his digestive system.
After his diagnosis of IBD, Jamal began treatment with a biologic medication that worked well for about three months before his body rejected it. Dr. Kelly Sandberg, Jamal’s gastroenterologist, and the rest of his IBD team presented Jamal and his family with treatment options.
In an incredible display of maturity, Jamal – at just 9 years old – chose the ileostomy, which meant getting an ostomy bag to help manage his symptoms.
Jamal’s journey has been one of courage, resilience and growth. Though he’s missed out on some normal childhood activities, he hasn’t let it break his spirit. He remains full of personality and a friend to everyone. His love of music and dancing keeps him going, and if you ask him, he wouldn’t change a thing about his decision to have surgery. For Jamal, the ostomy bag was lifesaving, allowing him to enjoy life without constant pain.
As Jamal and his family look toward the future, they know there may be more challenges ahead. But with the love and support of his care team, his friends and his family, they face it with hope.
ready to get your child answers?
Schedule online in minutes, or call our team to find the earliest available appointment with a pediatric gastroenterologist.
