GI Disorders in Babies and Children
Dietitian Nutritionist for Pediatric Digestive Disorders:
A pediatric dietitian on our team can be part of your medical team, working with your pediatrician and gastroenterologist to ensure your child is getting the comprehensive care and treatment they need. We provide online, outpatient nutrition therapy for children and their families as well as in-person treatment in our offices in Missouri and Illinois, near St. Louis. The medical nutrition therapy goals for pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) disorders typically focus on several key areas:
- Promote Growth and Development: We work to ensure your child is receiving adequate nutrients to support normal growth and development.
- Symptom Management: Individualized dietary interventions can help alleviate symptoms such as pain, diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting.
- Nutritional Adequacy: Our children’s nutritionist will provide a balanced diet that meets your child’s specific nutritional needs, considering any dietary restrictions or intolerances.
- Minimize Gastrointestinal Symptoms: We work to identify and avoid foods that trigger or exacerbate symptoms related to the GI disorder.
- Support Long-Term Health: The habits we work to establish during nutrition counseling promote overall health and prevent complications or the recurrence of the disorder.
- Education and Family Support: Education is key to sustainable recovery and digestive issues management. We work with children and their families to help them better understand the condition and provide guidance on managing the diet plan effectively.
- Monitor and Adjust: Regular assessment of your child’s nutritional status is vital, as we will adjust the diet as needed based on ongoing evaluation and changes in the child’s condition.
Our goal is to improve your child’s quality of life, enhancing their overall well-being by addressing any nutritional deficiencies and promoting healthy eating habits.
What are the most common digestive problems in children and their symptoms?
Some of the most common digestive problems in children are:
- Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD): Frequent spitting up or vomiting, heartburn or chest pain, difficulty swallowing or refusing to eat, coughing, wheezing, or irritability during or after feedings
- Constipation: Infrequent bowel movements, hard, dry, pr painful stools, abdominal pain, or cramping, and feeling incomplete bowel movements
- Diarrhea: Loose or watery stools, frequent bowel movements, abdominal cramping, dehydration such as dry mouth, fewer wet diapers, or sunken eyes in infants
- Lactose Intolerance: Bloating, gas, diarrhea, and stomach cramps after consuming dairy
- Food Intolerances: Reactions to certain foods such as milk, wheat, nuts to name a few that can cause digestive discomfort, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Chronic condition causing abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits triggered by stress and diet
- Celiac Disease: An autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestines causing issues like diarrhea, weight loss and malnutrition
- Gastroenteritis: Inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by infection and results in diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain
What are the symptoms of gastrointestinal disease in infants?
Gastrointestinal disease symptoms may vary in infants, but common ones include:
- Spitting Up/Regurgitation: Common in infants due to reflux where milk comes back up after feeding. This can resolve, however, as the intestine matures. Colic: episodes of intense crying due to stomach pain or discomfort which is seen in infants 6 months old or less. This can be challenging for both the parents and the infant suffering.
- Gas/Diarrhea/Constipation: Symptoms may include bloating, frequent or loose stools, or difficult to pass stools that may contribute to discomfort and issues with eating and nourishing the body.
- Blood in Stool: May indicate a food allergy.
- Poor Feeding or Refusal to Eat: babies with GI discomfort may refuse to eat resulting in inadequate weight gain.
What causes GI issues in kids?
There are several reasons a child may have GI issues including but not limited to infections (viral, bacterial, parasitic), food intolerances and allergies (lactose, gluten, or other ones such as peanuts, eggs, nuts, etc.), poor diet and dehydration, functional GI disorders (IBS, GERD), some medications, and anxiety/stress to name a few.
Does insurance cover nutrition therapy for pediatric GI disorders?
We are in-network with many insurance companies. Insurance-based nutrition counseling is based on your insurance provider’s approval and specific insurance plan. We can only provide services based on what they allow, following their specific guidelines. Such perimeters include:
-
Limitations in visits
-
Requiring a certain amount of time in between appointments
-
No additional support between appointments
-
Check your medical nutrition therapy benefits here.
While nutritional counseling can be beneficial for various conditions, we find that, specifically for those suffering from disordered eating, continuous support and ongoing accountability is the game changer in achieving recovery.
We believe that full recovery is possible with the right support and treatment. We look forward to being part of your healing process.
Our Team of Dietitian Nutritionists in the Greater St. Louis Area
Branz Nutrition Counseling is a team of certified eating disorder dietitians who provide compassionate care to those struggling with their relationship to food. Our approach is weight-inclusive, LGBTQIA+, and social justice-oriented, which means that we believe that everyone deserves access to quality care.
We can’t wait to meet you!
With locations in Illinois and Missouri, we offer both virtual and in-person counseling sessions. And, we are licensed to provide Telehealth nutrition therapy to patients around the country.
Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Missouri | New York | Texas | Virginia
We see clients in person in the St. Louis area, Missouri, Illinois, and from around the country via Telehealth. Learn more here.
We help individuals and families heal their relationships with food and body through compassionate, weight-inclusive care—supporting eating disorder recovery and managing chronic conditions like PCOS, diabetes, and heart disease using Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size principles.
Scroll to see the whole team.
How It Works – An Easy Three-Step Process to Get You on the Road to Recovery
Make An Appointment
What service do you need? We offer a range of appointments of different durations to best fit your needs.
Meet with your Personal Dietitian
Be paired with the dietitian nutritionist on our team and get continued support with one of our online groups. One-on-one counseling, in-person, or virtual. WE TAKE INSURANCE!
Take Control of Your Life
Heal your relationship with food and your body. Choose the best foods for your unique needs. Get the tools you need to live a healthy life. Receive continued support.
Note: In order to secure a spot on a dietitian’s schedule, we need a valid payment method on file.
Our Testimonials
Thank you for choosing us as the Best Dietitian Practice in STL (2023)
Branz Nutrition in the Media
Best Diets 2024 By Michelle Wilson
Intermittent Fasting By Michelle Wilson
How Healthy is That Pumpkin Latte By Michelle Wilson
Tips for Getting Back to a Healthy Eating Patterns after the Holidays By Michelle Wilson
Erica Branz