Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program (GEDP) - Clinical Services

The Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program (GEDP) at Children's Hospital Colorado​ provides state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary care to patients affected by eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs), including eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

EGIDs are a group of diseases characterized by a wide variety of gastrointestinal symptoms including vomiting, swallowing problems, food impaction, abdominal pain, diarrhea, slow growth, and bleeding. These symptoms occur in combination with increased numbers of eosinophils in the gastrointestinal lining. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that has been primarily associated with allergic diseases but are also found in other diseases.

Depending on the part of the gastrointestinal tract affected, EGIDs can be called a variety of different names, such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), eosinophilic gastritis (EG), eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE), and eosinophilic colitis (EC), with the diagnostic term being based primarily on the location of the mucosal eosinophilia.

EGID Classifications

Physicians classify the disease according to the body tissue where the eosinophils accumulate. Each type of the disease requires long-term treatment. There is no cure for EGID.

• Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is the most common type of EGID, where there are large numbers of eosinophils found in the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
• Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) and eosinophilic enteritis (EE) affects the stomach and/or the small intestine.
• Eosinophilic colitis (EC) is the rarest form of the disease and describes the occurrence of high levels of eosinophils in the large intestine.

EGID can affect people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, although there appear to be sex and genetic factors associated with the disease. Research has found that 75% of individuals with EoE are male and 70-80% have associated allergic disorders such as asthma, eczema, and seasonal and/or food allergies.

Patients and families are provided with the latest in clinical services ranging from endoscopic assessment, allergy testing, and in some circumstances, novel treatment protocols. Importantly, a wide range of clinical research projects are being conducted to uncover new knowledge and improve patient care. Interested patients are offered the opportunity to participate in any protocol.

Our Expertise

Our Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program (GEDP) team at Children's Hospital Colorado includes gastroenterologists, allergists, dieticians, a clinical social worker and nurse practitioners.

Meet our Team

Physicians

F. Dan Atkins, MD,Co-Director of the Program, brings both clinical expertise and research experience in food allergy to the team.

Maureen S. Egan, MD,is a pediatric allergy & immunologist who treats children with a variety of allergic conditions with a focus in food allergy and eosinophilic esophagitis.

Glenn T. Furuta, MD, Director of the Program, is a pediatric gastroenterologist whose work focuses on identifying clinical features of EGIDs and developing methods for patient assessment and treatment.

Pooja Mehta, MD, MSci, is a pediatric gastroenterologist whose work focuses on identifying barriers to adherence and using mobile health technology to improve care.

Calies Menard-Katcher, MD, is a pediatric gastroenterologist whose work focuses on the natural history of EoE, particularly with attention to development of abnormal esophageal function and structure.

Nathalie Nguyen, MD, is a pediatric gastroenterologist who treats children with a variety of gastrointestinal conditions with a particular focus in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs).

Jane Robinson, MS, PhD​, is a psychosocial clinician for the program, is a specialized Clinical Pediatric Psychologist whose work focuses on the identification and treatment of comorbid psychological factors associated with a diagnosis of EGIDs.​

Nursing Providers

Elizabeth Cronkrite, BSN, RN, is a pediatric GI nurse who brings inpatient nursing experience to provide excellent care with the GEDP team at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Jennifer Natale, BSN, RN, CPN, is a Co-Program Coordinator of the GEDP. She is a Certified Pediatric Nurse and Allergy Nurse who performs nursing assessments, education and carries out diagnostic testing based on provider recommendations for gastrointestinal diseases, food allergies and intolerances.

Stephanie Skirka, RN, BSN, is a Co-Program Coordinator of the GEDP. She has over 25 years of pediatric nursing experience. Her broad nursing experience provides comprehensive care for patients with Eosinophilic GI Diseases.​

Kathy Spomer, RN, BSN, has over 25 years of experienced caring for children with allergies and asthma in outpatient clinics at Children's Hospital Colorado.​

Dietitians and Therapists

Taryn Brennan, RD, is a pediatric clinical dietitian whose work focuses on nutrition assessment and medical nutrition therapy for children with Eosinophilic GI Diseases, food allergies and food intolerances.

Kristin Crinion MS, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and feeding specialist. Works with the pediatric population who have feeding and swallowing difficulties specifically related to Eosinophilic GI Diseases and food allergies.

Angela Haas, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and feeding specialist with 20 years of experience in the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. Her areas of clinical expertise include behavioral, oral motor, and oral sensory feeding disorders, swallow dysfunction, mealtime dynamics, and communication especially as they relate to Eosinophilic GI Diseases.

Kelly Klaczkiewicz, RD, CSP, is a pediatric dietitian accredited by the Commission on Dietetic Registration since 2002, has been with Children's Hospital Colorado since 2012. Kelly cares for a variety of patients seen within the Digestive Health Institute and has outstanding clinical experience with Eosinophilic GI Diseases.

Holly Knotowicz, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech pathologist and feeding specialist with over 7 years of experience in the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. Her areas of clinical expertise include behavioral, oral motor, and oral sensory feeding disorders, mealtime dynamics and communication. She has also helped develop alternative therapy interventions such as telepractice, feeding groups and camp for children with Eosinophilic GI Diseases, as well as, participates in research and presentations.​

The team of board-certified doctors, nurses and staff deliver the best quality care and clinical services available for patients and their families. These include:

• Medical evaluation, testing and diagnosis, and expert care from doctors who are board- certified in pediatrics medicine.
• State-of-the-art clinic and facilities to ensure patient safety and comfort.
• Development of individual care plans to meet each food allergy patient's needs.
• Multidisciplinary eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) clinic in conjunction with the Children's Hospital Colorado pediatric gastroenterology department.
• Coordinated care with pediatricians, referring doctors and/or other specialists.
• Assistance with school planning and accommodations from a specialized food allergy nurse.
• Nutritional guidance available from a registered dietictian.
• Individual and family counseling available from a licensed social worker.

Related Websites and Additional Information

Visit our web page at Children's Hospital Colorado website for more information about our Clinical Services at Children's Colorado.

Visit the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR) website​​ for information about on going research studies and to join the Contact Registry for patients with eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases.​