Ms Caitriona McDaid
Children’s Digestive & Gut Clinic
At Kingsbridge, our specialist Paediatric Consultants provide expert endoscopy for children to diagnose bowel conditions.
What you need to know at a glance – Children’s Digestive & Gut Clinic
Referral Required
Self-referrals or GP referral
Typical Waiting Time
1 week for consultation / 1 month for procedure
Procedure Type
Outpatient procedure carried out under general anaesthetic
Procedure and Recovery Time
45 mins procedure with 1-3 hours recovery time
Anaesthetic
General Anaesthetic
Recovery Time
1-3 hours
Full Recovery
Same day
Risks & Complication
Small risk of bleeding. Risk of perforation, though extremely rare.
Steps to get started
If your child could have Inflammatory Bowel & Coeliac Disease, your GP will assess your child and, if they think Endoscopy is right, give you a referral letter to see a specialist.
If you’re using health insurance
If you have private health insurance, check with your provider to see what’s covered. We’re happy to help with any paperwork and can work directly with many insurance companies to make the process smoother for you.
If you’re paying for treatment yourself or using a payment plan
If you’re paying for treatment yourself, we’ll give you clear information about costs and help you plan your care. You’ll know exactly what to expect, with no hidden fees.
Costs
Costs vary depending on your personal treatment plan. We’ll give you a clear price guide upfront and explain what’s included.
Our team is here to answer questions and help you choose the best way to pay.
Book an Appointment
We’re here to answer your questions, talk you through your options, and help you feel confident about your treatment.
Our Locations
Each site is equipped with modern facilities and experienced teams who will look after you throughout your treatment and recovery.
Our hospitals are easy to reach and offer a calm, comfortable environment to support your care. Wherever you decide to go, you’ll receive the same high standard of personalised treatment.
Meet Our Consultants
Our consultants are specialists with years of experience. From your first consultation through to your recovery, you’ll be under the care of experts who are dedicated to helping you achieve the best possible results.
What treatments do we offer to investigate this condition?
Endoscopy (camera tests) for children
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (or OGD) is a way for your child’s surgeon to assess the food-pipe, stomach, and first part of the small intestine. It is useful for diagnosing conditions such as gastro-oesophageal reflux, inflammation (such as in allergic conditions like eosinophilic oesophagitis), Crohn’s disease, and Coeliac disease.
Lower GI endoscopy (colonoscopy)
Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy (or colonoscopy) is used to assess the large bowel when your child has had some bleeding from the back passage, especially if there is a family history of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).
What are the benefits of Endoscopy?
Endoscopy is used to confirm the diagnosis of conditions such as eosinophilic oesophagitis, coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This can then help get your child on the correct treatment for their condition.
What happens during Endoscopy?
If your child is having endoscopy to confirm Coeliac disease they should have at least 4-6 weeks of a gluten-rich diet (ideally to the point where their symptoms are becoming difficult to tolerate) prior to the procedure, as this will massively increase our chance of making the diagnosis on biopsy. A low-residue diet and medicine to clear the bowel is usually prescribed prior to your child’s colonoscopy as this also improves the safety and efficiency of the procedure.
Endoscopy in children is performed under a full general anaesthetic. A flexible telescope is passed via your child’s mouth (for OGD) or via the anus (for colonoscopy). OGD usually takes about 10 minutes to complete, while colonoscopy can take around 45 minutes. During these procedures your child’s surgeon will be able to take tiny samples (or biopsies) of the lining to the gastrointestinal tract and can also take pictures or video to help discuss your child’s condition with you afterwards.
How long does it take to recover?
Endoscopy in children is performed as a day case so your child will be able to go home a few hours after their procedure.
Risks & complications of Endoscopy
Small risk of bleeding. A perforation is a serious complication where a small hole in the bowel occurs as a result of the endoscopy procedure – if this happens children tend to become unwell with abdominal pain, temperatures or vomiting. Thankfully this is extremely rare and occurs in less than 1 in every 1,000 procedures.
Is a referral required?
Self-referrals or GP referrals are both welcome
Average wait time for consultation & treatment
Average wait time for consultation less than 1 week Average wait time for procedure less than 1 month