The Children's Motility and Functional Bowel Disorders Program of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is a subspecialty program within the division of Pediatric Gastroenterology (GI). The program, one of only a handful of pediatric motility programs in the country, provides consultative and diagnostic services for infants, children and adolescents who have a wide variety of disorders resulting from abnormal movements or sensation in the gastrointestinal tract. Referrals are made to the program from throughout the United States and abroad.
In bowel motility disorders the nerve and muscles in the GI tract do not work in a coordinated fashion. The usual symptoms are constipation, abdominal distention and pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Several studies help physicians to diagnosis and treat young patients with gastrointestinal motility problems. These studies utilize specialized equipment that measures the strength and coordination of bowel contraction. The program is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and internationally recognized clinical expertise to provide the widest range of pediatric motility studies available anywhere.
The motility team works in collaboration with experts in chronic pain management from the Jane B. Pettit Pain and Palliative Care Program and the Feeding, Swallowing and Nutrition Center, other programs based at Children's Hospital.
Motility disorders treated at Children's Motility and Functional Bowel Disorders Program include: achalasia, gastropareses, recurrent vomiting, severe recurrent abdominal pain, intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome, severe constipation and anorectal disorders.
