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HomeClinics, Services & ProgramsA-Z DirectoryGastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition

Gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition

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Children, youth and families  Healthcare providers

About the Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Clinic

CHEO’s gastroenterology and hepatology clinic provides assessment and consultations for children and youth with conditions related organs in the digestive tract, including: 

  • esophagus 
  • stomach 
  • small intestine 
  • colon 
  • pancreas  
  • liver 

Children and youth referred to this clinic typically have: 

  • swallowing problems 
  • bleeding from the intestinal tract 
  • abdominal pain 
  • difficulties with gaining adequate weight or losing weight 
  • vomiting 
  • diarrhea 
  • jaundice 
  • enlarged liver 
  • inflammation of any of the above organs 

About our team

Our team includes 5 physicians, 5 nurses, one social worker, 2 dietitians and a research assistant.

Information for children, youth and families

Before your appointment

Please sign up for a MyChart account, prior to your first visit.

Our scheduling team will contact you by phone to schedule an appointment.  

If something changes and you need to reschedule your appointment, please let us know at least 24-48 hours in advance if you are unable to make it by calling 613-737-7600 x2222.  No-shows or frequent cancellations may result in discharge from the service. 

Frequently asked questions

How can I make an appointment?

All patients must be referred by a Physician or Nurse Practitioner. After a referral is received, we will notify the referring Physician or Nurse Practitioner whether the referral has been accepted or denied, and if accepted we will provide an estimated wait time. This wait time can vary based on demand and urgency. Once we have an appointment spot to offer, our Scheduling Team will reach you by phone to schedule an appointment.

Who should I contact if I am worried or have questions?

For any emergency, call 911. This includes emergencies involving your child’s Gastroenterology and Hepatology-related concerns. 

  • For patients who are being followed by the Gastroenterology or Hepatology Clinic: For patients who have seen a CHEO Gastroenterology or Hepatology Provider, call your Nurse Case Manager or send a direct message to them through MyChart. This is not for urgent calls. Our nurses are here to give support, education and will work to coordinate your child’s care. It may take 3-5 days for us to get back to you (and sometimes longer during holidays). We will return the most serious calls first.   Please avoid leaving multiple messages for the same issue. 

  • For patients who are waiting for their first visit with the Gastroenterology or Hepatology Clinic: Please do not call the nurses line if you have not yet been seen by a CHEO Gastroenterology or Hepatology Provider. Please call your family doctor, pediatrician or visit your nearest walk-in clinic for everything else. 

Sign up for MyChart to access your CHEO health record anywhere, any time. 
MyChart is a secure, online patient portal that connects you to parts of your CHEO electronic health record and allows you to send two-way secure communication to your care team, complete any questionnaires your care team sends and much more. 
To learn more about MyChart and sign up, visit our MyChart page and fill out the MyChart Access Request Form.

Looking for more resources or supports on gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition? 

Visit the CHEO Research institute’s website for latest news on IBD-related research. 

Donate now 

You can help fund important research by donating to our gastroenterology and IBD funds through the CHEO Foundation. When making your donation, please select 'other' and specify either gastroenterology fund or IBD fund. 

Need more Information? 

Visit our gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition resource and support page to find helpful websites, local contacts, videos and more. 

Information for healthcare providers

Make a referral

Our clinic is now accepting e-referrals with Ocean!

If you’re already on Ocean, look us up via your account by searching "CHEO".
If you don’t yet have an Ocean account, no problem - signing up is free.

Make a referral in Ocean

You can make an e-referral using Ocean, or send a referral by mail or fax to our address below.

Referral criteria and eligibility
Referral criteria
Reason for referral Mandatory information on consult Timeframe of investigations Other information
Chronic abdominal pain (>3 month)
  • Description of symptoms/physical exam
  • Summary of treatment history
  • Pertinent past medical history
  • Medication list
  • Growth charts
  • Blood work (CBC, ESR, CRP, ALT, GGT, lipase, albumin, celiac screen while on gluten)

Within 3 months

  • Community Pediatrics consult 
  • All consults should include the mandatory information 
  • Red flags:
    • bloody diarrhea 
    • weight loss (5-10%) 
    • persistent vomiting 
    • fever 
    • age <3 years old 
Positive celiac antibody
  • Medical history
  • Family history
  • Current diet
  • Growth chart
  • Tissue transglutaminase, CBC, ferritin
 Within 3 months
  •  TTG 2xULN
Chronic diarrhea (>2-4 weeks)
  • Description of symptoms/physical exam 
  • Summary of treatment history 
  • Pertinent past medical history 
  • Medication list 
  • Growth charts 
  • Blood work (CBC, ESR, CRP, albumin, celiac screen on gluten) 
  • Stool testing (O&P, culture, viral gastroenteritis panel, C. diff) 
 Within 1 month
  • Community Pediatrics consult.
  • All consultations should include mandatory information.
  • Red flags:
    • Weight loss (5-10%)
    • Bloody stools
    • Associated extra intestinal manifestations
Constipation
  • Description of symptoms, stool type (Bristol stool chart)
  • Past medical history (e.g., passage of meconium)
  • Growth chart
  • Summary of medications tried (dose, frequency, duration, response)
  • CBC, celiac screen while on gluten, Ca, TSH
 Within 1 month  
  • Community Pediatrics consult 

 

Find Constipation management resources here. 

 Dysphagia
  • Description of symptoms (e.g. texture of food tolerated, choking, food sticking etc.)
  • Past medical history and family history (e.g., achalasia, EoE)
  • Barium swallow
  • Medications/interventions tried
 Within 1 month Food bolus impaction should be directed to the Emergency department
Failure to Thrive
  • Description of GI symptoms (if any)
  • Paste medical history
  • Growth chart
  • Current medications and medications tried
  • CBC, ESR, CRP, ferritin, Ca, albumin, celiac screen while on gluten, stool tests (this is all age dependent)
  • Nutritional history/Dietitian’s assessment
 Within 1 month
  • Community Pediatrics consult
  • Community Dietitian consult
  • Feeding difficulty, oral aversion-consider Feeding team
Gastroesophageal Reflux
  • Description of symptoms (bilious, hematemesis) 
  • Presence of complications (aspiration/respiratory, hematemesis, FTT) 
  • Past medical history 
  • Growth chart 
  • Medications and dietary interventions tried (dose, duration) 
  Community Pediatrics consult
Inflammatory bowel disease (suspected)
  • Description of symptoms (e.g. diarrhea, blood in stools, abdominal pain, weight loss, perianal disease)
  • Past medical history
  • Family history of IBD/autoimmune conditions
  • Growth chart
  • CBC, ESR, CRP, albumin, ALT, ferritin, stool tests (O&P, stool culture, C. difficile)
 Within 1 month  
Iron deficiency anemia
  • Description of GI symptoms (if any)
  • Past medical history
  • CBC, ferritin, iron studies, celiac screen while on gluten, ESR, CRP, H pylori stool antigen
  • Medications tried (dose, duration, response)
Within 1 month  Community Pediatrics consult
Rectal bleeding

Description of symptoms (stool type on Bristol chart, frequency, pain with defecation etc.)

Physical exam (e.g. fissures)

CBC, ferritin, ESR, CRP, albumin

 Within 1 month Community Pediatrics consult

Contact us

Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, CHEO 
401 Smyth Road 
Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1 

Fax: 613-738-4865  

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