Common Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders

Jordan Hilgefort; Jonathan Newsom

doi:10.1016/j.pop.2021.04.008

Common Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders

Prim Care. 2021 Sep;48(3):443-459. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2021.04.008. Epub 2021 Jul 10.

Authors

Jordan Hilgefort¹, Jonathan Newsom²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA; Centers for Primary Care, 215 Central Avenue Suite 205, Louisville, KY 40208, USA. Electronic address: jordan.hilgefort@louisville.edu.
² Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA; Centers for Primary Care, 215 Central Avenue Suite 205, Louisville, KY 40208, USA.

PMID: 34311850
DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2021.04.008

Abstract

There is arguably no group of conditions more common and expansive in children than gastrointestinal disorders. Moreover, successful recognition, diagnosis, and management of these ailments is particularly challenging provided the breadth of potential dysfunction, as well as a general paucity of specific physical examination findings to pinpoint diagnoses. Elucidation of these conditions is made further challenging by frequent difficulty of pediatric patients to provide a detailed articulation of their symptoms. Nonetheless, a thorough history can aid in distinguishing these various diagnoses, which can be further classified into 3 categories: infectious, inflammatory, and immunologic pathology; motility disorders; and functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Keywords: Functional; Gastrointestinal; Motility; Pediatric; Peristalsis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Child
Gastrointestinal Diseases* / diagnosis
Gastrointestinal Diseases* / therapy
Humans