At 7-weeks-old, Michael was diagnosed with
biliary atresia. His parents turned to our world-class pediatric liver transplantation team for the procedure that would save his life.
Read more.
The professionals in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (Digestive disorders) specialize in evaluating and treating disorders that affect digestion and nutrition in infants and children. These disorders affect many different organs including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and the colon), and the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. All these organs are involved in absorbing or processing nutrition.
At Children's Memorial Hospital, the years of practice for the specialists in this area total more than 60 years of experience collectively. All of the physicians are full-time faculty members within the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University and do research and teaching. The nurse practitioners have six years of training and a master's degree, and all the nurse clinicians are RNs with four years of training.
More about our specialists in digestive and liver disorders
Some digestive disorders, such as vomiting or diarrhea, may be effectively treated by your child's physician. Other times, your child's physician may refer you to a physician who specializes in children's digestive and liver disorders.
These specialists are known as pediatric gastroenterologists. They have three years of training in general pediatrics plus three years of training in either gastroenterology and hepatology or both.
What are some of our leading areas and firsts?
Drs. Whitington and Alonso established the first living-related liver transplant program in the country in which the failing liver of a child can be replaced by part of one from their parent or sibling.
Drs. Whitington and Emerick have established a center to study children with various disorders that impair bile flow through the liver.
Where do we see patients?
Most of the evaluations take place as outpatients at one of our clinics at Children's Memorial Hospital, Children's Memorial at Central DuPage Hospial (Winfield), or at one of our outpatient centers at Glenbrook, Westchester and Tinley Park .
When the child is especially ill, some of these evaluations and treatments take place on the 6th floor at Children's Memorial Hospital. All of the procedures take place at Children's Memorial Hospital either in the endoscopy suite (under moderate sedation), sedation suite (under heavy sedation) or the operating room (under general anesthesia).