Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

Many of the childhood functional gastrointestinal disorders are extremely common. Using symptom-based diagnostic criteria for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders will improve patient care, enhance family satisfaction, and reduce costs. Using symptom-based diagnoses, the emphasis shifts from evaluations to rule out rare diseases to family education and symptom management. Well-meaning clinicians may co-create disability by failure to recognize and appropriately manage functional pediatric gastrointestinal disorders.