A comprehensive team approach to Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition for children.

The Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition team are dedicated to the care of infants, children, and adolescents with stomach, digestive, liver, and nutritional disorders. Our specialists are dedicated to caring only for children, which means we are also specialists in addressing the unique needs of children and families living with these disorders.

Families who come to PSV for treatment of stomach, liver, and nutritional issues have access to:

  • Full spectrum of care. The team manages everything from a routine upset stomach to complex and chronic conditions that require ongoing care.
  • Expertise in diagnosis. Our team has the experience and tools to make an effective diagnosis, the first step to a comprehensive treatment and management plan.
  • Specialized care. Every member of your child’s team is a pediatric specialist. This allows us to tailor treatment plans to meet each child’s specific needs.
  • Child-centered environment. We do everything we can to provide a safe, warm, and reassuring environment for children and their families.

It is important to involve the child, the family, their primary care provider, and any other needed specialists in a unified team approach to treatment and management of digestive, stomach, and liver issues. Additionally, the team emphasizes research-based treatment approaches, and assists families to connect with area clinical trials if they wish, to allow our care providers to continually learn more about these disorders and provide the best evidence based treatments for every patient.

Families who are affected by these disorders often find everyday life overwhelming and frustrating. The staff at PSV is dedicated to helping patients and families get the emotional and social support they need, including educational programs, parent advocacy groups, and local patient support groups.

Conditions treated range from common to complex, including:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Biliary atresia
  • Celiac disease
  • Colic
  • Constipation
  • Encopresis
  • Diarrhea (Acute and chronic)
  • Failure to Thrive (FTT)
  • Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)
  • Hepatitis (A, B, C, and autoimmune)
  • Hirschsprung disease
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome and other functional bowel diseases
  • Nutrition and obesity
  • Pancreatitis
  • Reflux and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)

A full list of GI conditions treated at PSV and their descriptions available here.

Treatments for Gastrointestinal Problems

Treatments for stomach, digestive and liver disorders include both consultations on newly diagnosed disorders as well as ongoing care for long term conditions. The team offers many common treatments for a wide variety of gastrointestinal problems:

  • Anorectal and esophageal manometry
  • Breath hydrogen testing
  • Dilation (Achalasia pneumatic, esophageal, pyloric, rectal), including Botox injections
  • Colonoscopy
  • Endoscopy (Upper, video capsule, treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding)
  • Esophageal varices treatments (sclerotherapy and banding)
  • Flex sigmoidoscopy
  • Foreign body removal
  • Pancreatic function testing
  • Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement and care
  • pH probe/impedance
  • Polypectomy

 

Specialized Clinics for Complex Conditions

  • Enteral Feeding (GTube) Clinic: Provides medical, nursing, and nutritional care and support for infants and children with enteral feeding tubes which include gastrostomy tubes (GTube), nasogastric tubes (NG), gastrojejunostomy tubes (GJ), and jejunostomy tubes (J). The team evaluates, treats, and manages all aspects of your child’s enteral feeding tube, including assistance with school, insurance, and WIC paperwork.
  • Eosinophilic and Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Disorders Clinic: Specialized care for children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), eosinophilic gastroenteropathies, and autoimmune enteropathies. The clinic staff includes allergists, immunologists, gastroenterologists, dietitians, and other clinical support dedicated to the management and treatment of eosinophilic and autoimmune gastrointestinal disorders.

 

Psychology Services

PSV offers behavior health consultations and short-term behavioral health support for concerns related to specific GI conditions. Learn more about our Psychology services here.

Gastroenterology Team

Each child and family are supported by a dedicated care team made up of:

  • Board certified Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
  • Pediatric Registered Nurses
  • Dietitians
  • Medical Assistants