This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our Privacy Policy.
Welcome to our new website!
Welcome! We hope you find our new website helpful and easier to navigate. It's now as easy to use on your smartphone as your desktop. Take a tour and please tell us what you think.
EoE is an inflammatory condition where the esophagus (food tube):
What you need to know
EoE has only recently been identified as a disease. About 1 in every 10,000 people have it, and 65% of those with EoE are male. It shares many symptoms with GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease). Babies and young children are more likely to have GERD-like symptoms. Teens are more likely to have difficulty swallowing or have food get stuck in the esophagus.
Someone with EoE may notice:
In babies and very young children, the symptoms are similar to GERD: symptoms:
Yes. Over time, EoE may cause the esophagus to become more narrow. This can sometimes cause food to get stuck in the esophagus. When this happens, the food has to be removed at the hospital, using a special tube called an endoscope. Correct diagnosis and treatment can prevent narrowing of the esophagus.
The exact cause of EoE is not known, but it seems to be related to food and environmental allergies. It is more common in people who have other allergic diseases such as asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis (runny nose).
A procedure called an upper GI endoscopy is used to test for EoE. For this test, your child or teen will have a general anesthetic (special sleep medicine). During the endoscopy, a gastroenterologist will:
The most effective treatment involves changes to the diet. Some medications can be helpful, especially in the short term (for example, acid blocking medications, anti-inflammatory drugs and allergic response blockers).
Your doctor may consult with an allergist to see if certain foods or environmental allergies are contributing to the EoE. Your doctor and dietitian will try to figure out which foods may be contributing to EoE. Some children and teens with EoE are allergic to one food, while others are allergic to several.
Skin tests for allergies can’t always identify the foods that may be causing EoE. If this happens, your child or teen may need to follow an elimination or elemental diet for a few months, to help figure out which foods are causing EoE. The GI clinic dietitian will give you all the information you need to follow these diets, and follow up at clinic visits.
Working with your allergist, your child or teen will avoid all foods known to cause allergic reactions. Other foods that may cause problems may also be removed for a trial period. The dietitian will monitor all remaining foods to make sure your child or teen is getting a balanced diet.
This is a special formula of amino acids (proteins), fats, vitamins, minerals and sugars. Your gastroenterologist and dietitian will decide how long your child or teen will take this formula without any other foods. Sometimes, tube feedings are needed so your child or teen can get enough nutrition to gain weight and grow. Children and teens who need tube feedings will have a naso-gastric (NG) tube, which is passed through the nostril, down the back of the throat to the esophagus and stomach.
Your gastroenterologist will see how your child or teen responds to the elimination or elemental diet over the next few months. Most patients will also have a repeat upper GI endoscopy to see if the treatment plan (diet and sometimes medications) improves the EoE. The results from this endoscopy will help guide ongoing EoE treatment for your child or teen.
Disclaimer
These resources are for educational purposes only. If you have questions, speak with your health care provider.
Have you registered for MyChart?
MyChart is a free, secure, online patient portal that connects patients to parts of their CHEO electronic health record, anywhere, at any time.
