Pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders

Abstract Presentation and treatment of pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGID) change by child's developmental age. Regurgitation, colic and dyschezia are FGID in infants and disappear as the gut and nervous system age. Functional diarrhea is a FGID exclusive to toddlers. Starting in early childhood, children become able to identify and label unobservable gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and pain. A long list of new FGID are diagnosable at this age. For all pediatric FGID a very important part of treatment is assurance that the symptoms do not signify harm, as well as education on pathophysiology and how to manage the child's symptoms. Few evidence-based treatments are available for pediatric FGID and integrative treatment approaches are usually recommended. Many young patients will “grow out” of their FGID, but for those who do not, transitioning from pediatric to adult care can bring unique challenges.