A new paediatric clinic is helping to provide relief to young patients.
The paediatric constipation clinic recently opened at Rouge Valley Centenary’s (RVC) Galaxy 12 clinic in Scarborough. In total, 12 different paediatric specialty clinics are based at RVC. The clinic is the only one of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area that deals specifically with paediatric constipation issues, and provides the assessment and management of constipation for young patients, who range from infants to children up to 18 years of age.
“Many people don’t realize that infants, children and adolescents can get constipated, or that having a bowel movement once every few days is not normal,” explains paediatric hospitalist Dr. Niraj Mistry, who leads the clinic. “This is a common, uncomfortable, and undertreated issue for many children. So our goal with this clinic is to provide the highest quality of care for our patients, close to home.”
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Many children come to the emergency department complaining of severe stomach pains, which can be symptomatic of other issues. So having a physician who can recognize the symptoms, and understands the spectrum of care needed to deal with constipation, can help to provide young patients – and their parents – with the care and relief they need. In addition, the clinic can also identify behavioural and functional issues related to constipation that may also need addressing.
The clinic works in partnership with RVC paediatric gastroenterologists Dr. Latifah Yeung, and Dr. Carol Dunro, whose expertise allows patients with more complicated issues to receive further specialized care. It operates using medical guidelines created by SickKids, allowing patients to receive the best available research knowledge and expertise. An essential part of the clinical practice guideline is community support, so having a paediatrician who follows these children closely while treating their constipation issues is essential to good outcomes.
Patients can be referred to the clinic through their family physician/general practitioner, paediatrician, or emergency department physician.