Pediatric gastroenterologists in Kansas City

When stomach pain starts interfering with your child's life, it may be time to talk to a pediatric gastroenterologist. At HCA Midwest Health, our pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) specialists are specially trained and experienced at diagnosing and treating children with conditions involving their digestive system, liver and nutrition.

For more information about our pediatric GI services, call our pediatrics team at (913) 541-5437 (KIDS).

Comprehensive, compassionate children's GI care

We understand the special nature of pediatric medicine. That's why our highly trained and skilled pediatric GI team offers compassionate care to children in a supportive and warm environment. Our pediatric GI team is led by a board-certified, fellowship-trained children’s gastroenterologist. Together, we offer comprehensive gastrointestinal care to newborns, children and teens.

Multidisciplinary pediatric GI care

All of our pediatric specialty programs, including our pediatric gastroenterology clinic, are offered at Overland Park Regional Medical Center in Overland Park, Kansas. Our pediatric gastroenterology team practices in the same location as our other children’s specialists. This allows our physicians to collaborate easily and provides families with a single site for their children's healthcare.

Many of our youngest patients, born in Overland Park Regional Medical Center’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), have multiple health concerns. When this is the case, our gastroenterology team works closely with NICU specialists to ensure the best possible care for our young patients who may have nutrition or feeding issues.

Most GI conditions do not require emergency care. However, when they do, we offer Johnson County's only pediatric emergency room (ER) with a dedicated pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Children's GI conditions we treat

Our expert pediatric gastroenterologist is experienced in treating a wide range of children's GI conditions, including:

  • Acute or chronic abdominal pain (sharp pain or dull, constant pain in the abdomen that can be caused by a wide range of GI conditions)
  • Chronic constipation (a condition in which bowel movements are infrequent or passing stool is difficult for several weeks or more)
  • Chronic or severe diarrhea (a condition in which stool is loose and watery for an extended period)
  • Feeding disorders (a condition in which infants and young children refuse to eat all foods or certain kinds of foods for an extended period, which can cause growth or developmental delays)
  • Food allergies or intolerances (conditions in which the immune system or body has an adverse reaction to certain types of food)
  • GI bleeding (GI bleeding or blood in the stool can be a symptom of a disorder in the digestive tract)
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (conditions, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, that cause inflammation in the intestines)
  • Liver disease (a condition that damages the liver or affects its functionality)
  • Motility disorders (conditions in which muscles and nerves in the GI tract do not work together properly)
  • Nutritional problems (conditions, such as malnutrition and obesity, in which too little or too much food are consumed, causing weight and development issues)
  • Pancreatic insufficiency (conditions, such as cystic fibrosis and pancreatitis, that occur when the pancreas does not make enough of a specific enzyme the body uses to digest food)
  • Severe or complicated acid reflux (conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which acid from the stomach comes up into the esophagus consistently or for an extended period)
  • Short bowel syndrome (a disorder caused by a lack of functional small intestine, often causing diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and malnutrition)
  • Vomiting (the contents of the stomach are expelled through the mouth, which can sometimes be a symptom of a GI disorder)

Our pediatric gastrointestinal procedures

Our pediatric GI specialists offer the latest diagnostics, therapies and treatments for children's GI conditions, including:

  • Balloon dilation (a nonsurgical procedure involving the insertion of a small, flexible tube with a deflated balloon at its tip, which is inflated to treat esophagus and GI tract conditions)
  • Capsule endoscopy (a diagnostic procedure that involves swallowing a vitamin-sized capsule that contains a tiny camera, which captures images as it passes through the body's digestive system)
  • Colonoscopy (an endoscopic examination of the large intestine (colon), rectum and bowels involving a tiny camera on the end of a flexible tube, which is inserted through the anus)
  • Endoscopic bleeding therapy (a procedure involving the insertion of a tiny camera on the end of a flexible tube to treat GI bleeding)
  • Manometry (an exam that measures the contractions of the esophagus to test its functionality)
  • Ph probe study (a test that involves placing a thin probe in the esophagus to diagnose and treat acid reflux)
  • Polypectomy (a procedure used to remove abnormal growths of tissue, or polyps, from the inside of the colon)
  • Upper endoscopy, also called esophagogastroduodenoscopy (a diagnostic endoscopic procedure used to examine the inner lining of the digestive tract)