Comprehensive Motility Program

Children’s National Hospital is one of the few pediatric centers in the country to offer a specialized gastrointestinal motility program for children. The Comprehensive GI Motility Program provides expert consultation and dedicated care to help improve your child’s quality of life.

With advanced training in pediatric neurogastroenterology, motility and functional gastrointestinal disorders, the team directs the diagnostic and specialized treatment efforts for each child. State-of-the-art technology is utilized including high-resolution anorectal, esophageal, antro-duodenal and colonic manometry. Leading treatments such as percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation or IBStim™ are offered to treat refractory functional abdominal pain and nausea. 

Motility disorders are conditions that affect the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract. In a healthy child, wave-like contractions called peristalsis move food and waste through the intestinal tract. These contractions also help the body absorb nutrients. Peristaltic contractions occur when the muscles and nerves of the digestive tract work together.

Children’s National works to help treat a number of motility and functional gastrointestinal disorders impacting your child’s digestive tract, including the following:

• Achalasia
• Anorectal malformations
• Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction
• Dysphagia
  
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Type III
• Fecal incontinence
• Functional abdominal pain
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Gastroparesis
• Hirschsprung disease
• Imperforate anus
• Intractable constipation
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Recurrent vomiting and nausea
• Rumination syndrome
• Spina bifida