Find diet and meal plans for your child’s gastrointestinal disease

If your child has a gastrointestinal (GI) condition, adjusting their food can help them get nutrients they need. OHSU Doernbecher dietitians will work with you and your child to create nutritional meal plans that support their health.  

Understanding nutrition care for pediatric GI diseases

Many children with GI conditions need to change their diet as part of their treatment. Some children with serious digestive conditions can’t eat enough to fuel their body or can’t absorb nutrients from the food they eat.

Special diet plans

We may recommend your child eat or avoid certain foods. We may also recommend vitamin or enzyme therapy to add nutrients to your child’s diet. 

Tube feeding

For children who can’t eat enough food, feeding tubes help them receive nutrients directly in their stomach or jejunum (middle of the small intestine). The most common type is the gastrostomy (G) tube that is placed through the abdominal wall into the stomach. Another common type, the gastro-jejunal (GJ) tube, extends through the stomach into the small intestine. 

Total parental nutrition (TPN)

This is IV tube feeding. Our care team will teach you how to feed your child by IV tube at home. That means they don’t have to stay in the hospital to get the nutrients they need. Feeding through the stomach or intestines is best, but if it is not possible, TPN is an option. 

Home total parenteral nutrition

If your child needs additional nutrition support at home, our home total parenteral nutrition team can help. We will collaborate with you and your family to address potential barriers and create a home TPN care plan for your child. 

When is total parenteral nutrition used?

If your child's digestive system isn’t working well or if it needs to rest, our care team may recommend total parenteral nutrition. Reasons for TPN can include gastrointestinal diseases, recovery from surgery or disorders that affect your child’s ability to eat normally. 

Pediatric GI conditions we treat

Our nutrition experts work with specialists to care for kids with a variety of GI disorders, including: 

• Celiac disease
• Eosinophilic esophagitis
• Feeding and swallowing disorders 
• Conditions that require home total parenteral nutrition (TPN)  
• Gut brain disorders and IBS (including irritable bowel syndrome IBS)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Crohn’s disease 
• Ulcerative colitis 
• Liver disease  
• Short gut syndrome

Meet our team

• Brittany Cummiskey, Pharm.D. 

• Hillary Bashaw, M.D., pediatric gastroenterologist
• Ansley Hill, RD, LD, pediatric dietitian
• Christiana Logan, pediatric dietitian

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

• Food and nutrition tips for kids 

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital nutrition guides

• Strategies for treating abdominal pain 
• High calorie snacks and recipes 
• High calorie egg- and dairy-free ideas 
• High calorie food additions for dairy, soy and nut-free diets 
• High calorie food additions for gluten-free and dairy free diets 
• Ideas to increase calories in your toddler’s diet 
• Tips for increasing calories in your child’s diet