Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Pancreatology, and Nutrition

Henry Ford Health has been delivering trusted pediatric primary care in southeast Michigan for decades. With the establishment of a new Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, we are providing comprehensive state of the art care to newborns, children and adolescents with digestive health issues. Our new gastroenterology (GI) services reflect our commitment to delivering complete pediatric care close to home.

Pediatric GI services at Henry Ford Health: Why choose us?

Your child receives care from expert, skilled pediatric gastroenterologists and hepatologists. Our team includes specialists with advanced training in children’s digestive health, enabling us to treat a broad range of conditions. Trained registered nurses, nurse practitioners, registered dieticians, speech and language pathologists and social work are also integral members of the team.

We help children experiencing common GI symptoms, like abdominal pain, reflux, diarrhea and constipation. We also provide comprehensive services for children with complex disease such as celiac disease, food allergies, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, nutritional disorders such as poor eating, underweight status and obesity. Schedule an appointment.

Highlights of our program include:

• Convenient location: We offer complete care at our Royal Oak clinic. You’ll find pediatric specialists, testing facilities and procedure rooms, so your family can receive more services under one roof. We are expanding our pediatric GI services to additional clinics throughout the region. Inpatient admission services as well as endoscopic procedural services are available at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital.
• Coordination: Pediatric gastroenterology works with other Henry Ford Health specialists for complex issues. Our multi-disciplinary care involves other pediatric specialties, adult specialties, surgical, radiology, pharmacy, specialized laboratory and supportive services. We focus on providing a seamless care experience so you can focus on being there for your child.
• Innovation: Our aim is to advance pediatric GI care through research, part of Henry Ford Health’s mission of improving life through excellence in science. Our current focus areas include liver disease, obesity, growth and the gut microbiome (helpful bacteria in the digestive tract). We remain on the cutting edge of new knowledge and are actively involved with others across the state, nationally and internationally to improve care. Your child may be able to participate in research and access the latest care methods through our science and learning.

Virtual visits for pediatric gastroenterology

Established GI patients may have the option of virtual visits for certain types of follow-up care. These services use secure video conferencing technology to connect your child with our experts from the comfort of home. Find out more about virtual care.

Pediatric GI: conditions and symptoms we treat

Our pediatric gastroenterologists provide timely care for children with digestive disorder symptoms, such as:

• Abdominal pain
• Underweight status or growth issues in newborns, children and adolescents
• Obesity
• Difficulty eating or feeding
• Reflux
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation
• Blood in the stools
• Jaundice
• Celiac disease
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Food allergies and sensitivity
• Liver and gall bladder disease
• Pancreatic disease
• Colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Gastrointestinal Procedures

When necessary, our pediatric gastroenterologists perform diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures in children to diagnose and treat a multitude of gastrointestinal conditions. Our department is committed to providing safe care for all patients.

The endoscopic procedures that we offer include:

• Colonoscopy
• Endoscopic treatment of upper and lower GI bleeding
• Esophageal dilation
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy
• Foreign body removal
• Polypectomy

Our endoscopies are performed at Henry Ford West Bloomfield.

New patient referrals

If you are receiving services from a community provider, we welcome the opportunity to take part in your child’s care. Offerings include second opinions to confirm a diagnosis or review treatment options. We see new patients promptly, especially when there is an urgent concern. Ask your child’s provider for a referral to Henry Ford to ensure seamless care.