Gastroenterology & Nutrition

The Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition provides high-quality, comprehensive care for infants, children and adolescents with common and complex gastrointestinal, liver, pancreatic and nutritional disorders.

Service highlights

• Diagnostic evaluation and testing for stomach, intestinal, colonic, liver, pancreatic and nutritional illnesses
• Comprehensive care for infants, children, and adolescents with gastrointestinal, liver, pancreatic, and nutritional disorders
• Advice and guidance during and after your visit, along with education and information to address your and your child's special concerns about many topics including constipation and celiac disease.

Special programs

• Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Program (EGID) Program: A multidisciplinary program where a team of allergists, gastroenterologists and dietitians work together with patients and families to provide collaborative and comprehensive care for patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and other EGIDs.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Careful diagnostic investigation, meticulous medical management and attention to psychological, emotional, and physical development form the core of the program. When necessary, close consultation with pediatric surgeons, pediatric dietitians, social workers and psychologists adds to available resources.
• Hepatic Disorders: Decades of experience with common and rare hepatic diseases establish the foundation of this program. Ongoing clinical research concerns interferon therapy of chronic viral hepatitis, and unique approaches to metabolic liver disease, particularly alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. A well-established liver transplant program continues the tradition of offering the most current therapies for liver disorders. St. Louis Children's Hospital now is developing a unique center for evaluation and care of children with biliary atresia, including a multidisciplinary team of pediatric gastroenterologists, pediatric surgeons, pediatric radiologists, pediatric pathologists and the pediatric liver transplant surgery team with nurse coordinator, social worker and a panel of subspecialty consultants.
• Global and Specific Nutritional Deficiencies: Problems such as refusal or inability to eat, weight loss, or failure to grow are often correctable with proper intervention. Special diets or nutritional support regimens such as tube feeding or parenteral nutrition can be designed. Indirect calorimetry is available to measure energy expenditure and allow for prediction of nutritional needs.
• Pediatric Gastrointestinal Polyposis Center (PGPC): The Center includes clinical providers and support staff with specific expertise in evaluating and managing pediatric patients with intestinal polyposis syndromes as well as their families. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract polyps in pediatric patients are typically solitary and usually not associated with an increased risk for GI tract or other cancers. However, in some cases GI polyps predispose to cancers and other serious conditions. Some of these are caused by identifiable gene mutations that could affect family members. The Pediatric Gastrointestinal Polyposis Center was established to provide specialized care for the evaluation and management of children with hereditary gastrointestinal tract polyposis and colon cancer syndromes and their families. Dr. Rudnick, who oversees the program, is a board certified pediatric gastroenterologist with two decades of experience seeing pediatric patients with intestinal polyps. Together with pediatric experts at St. Louis Children's Hospital in oncology, genetics, and surgery, Dr. Rudnick delivers care to children with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), Peutz-Jeghers (PJS) syndrome, Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome, and other conditions. Children with personal or family medical histories of intestinal polyposis but without a specific syndromic diagnosis can also be evaluated by the PGPC. We committed to providing comprehensive care supported by the latest research and treatment options.