Neurogenic Bowel
Shriners Children's provides specialized care for children with neurogenic bowel.
The goal of our colorectal and gastrointestinal specialty care is to provide children with anal-rectal disorders advanced care and rehabilitation that frees them from social stigma and allows them to live and play like other children.
What is Neurogenic Bowel?
Some children have a hard time feeling when they need to have a bowel movement. This is called a neurogenic bowel. If your child has this condition, they might have problems with constipation or have accidents.
A child with this condition cannot control when he or she has a bowel movement. The muscles in the anus cannot hold back stool between bowel movements and the signals that tell your child they need to have a bowel movement do not work right, either.
How do We Care for Children with Neurogenic Bowel?
Treatment begins with a proper diagnosis, and the pediatric surgeons at Shriners Children's carefully evaluate each patient to develop an individual treatment plan.
Shriners Children's typically helps patients and families by putting them through our outpatient bowel management program where our doctors help you choose what is right for your child. The goal is to give your child predictable bowel movements, keep them accident-free in social settings, and give them their confidence and independence back!
We provide follow-up care to monitor your child’s health, prevent problems, manage symptoms and give your child the best quality of life.
Specific treatments and services may vary by location. Please contact a specific location for more information.
Understanding Your Child's Colorectal and Gastrointestinal (GI) Appointment(s)
On the first visit, parents and children typically come for a group overview and educational presentation about bowel management. Our doctors and nurses explain the medicines, enemas and diets we use as treatment options. Each family has a one-on-one clinic visit with a provider from the program to make a plan for their child.
If referred to one of our locations for a more complex condition or surgery, you and your child go directly to the one-on-one visit with one of our providers to build an individualized plan of care.
Sometimes, when deemed appropriate, your child may have bowel X-ray. This helps us with diagnoses and check whether your child’s plan is working. A nurse from our program will talk with you either in person or by phone to discuss your child’s results.
Our goal is for your child to empty their bowel daily with no accidents and to live with as few limitations as possible. Success depends on your child’s condition and following your plan closely.
How We Support Your Child’s Total Health and Well-Being
Families and patients say that Shriners Children’s feels like home to them, and it's no wonder to us. We know that a child's needs go beyond the physical. Our care teams support their social, emotional and developmental health with patient programs and activities.
A few examples include:
- Child life enrichment
- Creative arts
- Live entertainment
- Music therapy
- On-site public schooling
- Pet therapy
- School and community re-entry program
- Specialty camps
- Therapeutic recreation
Dr. Hirose respected me as a mother and took my extensive knowledge of Jordyn’s medical condition into consideration during the decision-making process.