Pediatric gastroenterology | a unit head from a children's hospital
A private pediatric gastroenterologist at EliteMed in Modi'in is a senior physician who heads a unit at a children's hospital and sees infants, children and adolescents for recurrent abdominal pain, constipation, reflux, chronic diarrhoea, suspected celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's and colitis) and poor growth. Consultations are available within days, without a referral, at the Ayala 360 Center. When endoscopy is needed it is performed in hospital by a dedicated pediatric team, and follow-up returns to the center.
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Our specialists in this field
When to see a private pediatric gastroenterologist
Digestive problems are part of ordinary childhood: tummy aches before school, spitting up in a baby, constipation around toilet training. Most resolve with the pediatrician's care. Seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist is justified when the problem persists, when there are warning signs, or when the public-system wait is long relative to the concern. Book a consultation for:
- Recurrent abdominal pain for more than two months, especially if it wakes the child from sleep, is located away from the navel or comes with weight loss.
- Stubborn constipation that does not improve with usual treatment, painful bowel movements, or soiling (encopresis).
- Chronic diarrhoea, greasy stools or blood in the stool.
- Reflux in an infant with feeding difficulties, distress, refusal to feed or inadequate weight gain.
- Suspected celiac disease: a positive antibody test, a bloated abdomen, tiredness, anaemia or short stature.
- A drop on the growth curve or inadequate weight gain without explanation.
- Known or suspected inflammatory bowel disease: Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, including follow-up and biologic treatment.
- Food allergy with digestive symptoms, or a reaction to cow's milk protein in an infant, together with the allergy service.
- Recurrent vomiting, difficulty swallowing, or a feeling of food getting stuck.
- Abnormal liver tests, prolonged jaundice in an infant, or fatty liver in an overweight child.
- A second opinion before endoscopy or before starting long-term treatment.
Sudden severe abdominal pain, green vomiting, a swollen hard abdomen, a lot of blood in the stool, or an infant who refuses to drink and is becoming dehydrated mean going to the pediatric emergency room, not booking a consultation.
What the consultation at EliteMed includes
The consultation is a long appointment with a senior physician who gives time to the parents and the child. The doctor reviews the feeding and growth history, a symptom diary if one was kept, earlier blood and stool tests and imaging, examines the child in a calm setting, and forms a diagnosis or a work-up plan. A large share of cases get an answer and a treatment plan at the first visit, without invasive tests. When laboratory tests or imaging are needed, they are coordinated with the center's imaging unit or with the hospital, and the results are reviewed at a follow-up visit.
What sets the service apart:
- A unit head from a children's hospital. The pediatric gastroenterologist at the center heads a pediatric endoscopy unit at a hospital, and brings to the clinic in Modi'in the hospital standard and experience with complex cases, including inflammatory bowel disease.
- Endoscopy in hospital, follow-up at the center. When a gastroscopy or colonoscopy is needed, it is performed in hospital under sedation or general anaesthesia by a dedicated pediatric team, and ongoing follow-up and treatment return to the clinic in Modi'in.
- No public-system waiting lists. An appointment with a pediatric gastroenterologist is usually available within days. For a child with weight loss, blood in the stool or suspected inflammatory bowel disease there is a track within 24 to 48 hours.
- No referral needed. A private consultation requires no referral or Form 17. Bring the well-baby clinic booklet with the growth curves, earlier blood and stool tests, the pediatrician's summaries and a one-week symptom diary.
- A multi-specialty center for children. Clinical nutrition for celiac disease and poor growth, allergy for food allergies, and pediatric endocrinology for short stature, all in the same building.
- A child-friendly setting. Quiet consulting rooms, flexible visit length and parents as partners in every decision.
- Consultations in English. The pediatric gastroenterology service consults in English, which makes a difference for families new to Israel navigating a child's work-up.
- Insurance. Consultations qualify as private specialist consultations, reimbursable under most private policies (Harel, Phoenix, Menora and others) and health-fund supplementary plans (Shaban), subject to policy terms.
Who this suits: parents looking for a private pediatric gastroenterologist in Modi'in who will see their child this week, families of a child with Crohn's or colitis who want senior-level follow-up, and parents of an infant with reflux or feeding difficulties that have not resolved. Serves Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Shoham, Hashmonaim, Beit Shemesh and Rishon LeZion, and English-speaking families from across central Israel.
Digestive conditions treated by the pediatric specialist
Recurrent abdominal pain and irritable bowel
A thorough work-up that distinguishes functional pain, which is the most common, from an organic cause that needs treatment, and a plan that returns the child to normal function without unnecessary tests.
Chronic constipation and encopresis
Combined medical and behavioural treatment for stubborn constipation, painful bowel movements and soiling, with parent guidance and follow-up until full resolution.
Reflux and feeding difficulties in infants
Distinguishing ordinary infant spitting up from reflux that needs treatment, work-up of feeding refusal and distress, and guidance on positioning, feeding and nutrition.
Celiac disease
Accurate diagnosis according to antibodies and current guidelines, a decision on whether a biopsy is needed, child-appropriate nutritional support, and follow-up of growth and antibodies over time.
Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's and colitis)
Diagnosis and management of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in children and adolescents, including biologic treatment and follow-up of growth, puberty and disease activity.
Poor growth and inadequate weight gain
A comprehensive work-up of malabsorption, nutritional deficiencies, chronic disease and feeding problems, together with clinical nutrition and pediatric endocrinology.
Chronic diarrhoea and food allergy
Work-up of diarrhoea lasting weeks, infections, intolerances and allergies with digestive symptoms, together with the allergy service when needed.
Liver problems in children
Work-up of abnormal liver enzymes, prolonged jaundice in infants and fatty liver in children, with a follow-up and nutrition plan.
Second opinions
A senior physician's review of an existing diagnosis, a recommendation for endoscopy or biologic treatment, so parents can decide with confidence.
The urgent track: a pediatric gastroenterologist within 24 to 48 hours
A child who is losing weight, an infant who refuses to feed and is not gaining, recurring blood in the stool, or a celiac antibody test that came back positive cannot wait months for a health-fund appointment. The center therefore runs an urgent track: you contact the intake line, a health coordinator reviews the request and the availability, and the consultation with the pediatric gastroenterologist is booked within 24 to 48 hours, subject to physician availability. The track is for a child who is stable but needs a fast assessment; it is not a substitute for the pediatric emergency room in dehydration, acute pain or significant bleeding. The urgent track needs no referral either, and it is worth bringing the growth curves and the latest tests.
Preparing for the visit and what happens afterwards
Bring the well-baby clinic booklet with the growth curves, earlier blood and stool tests, emergency room or hospital summaries, imaging with the reports and a medication list. A short one-week diary recording what the child ate, when it hurt and what the stools looked like is sometimes worth more than a test, and so is a phone photo of an abnormal stool. No fasting is needed before a consultation. You leave with a written summary containing the diagnosis or working hypothesis, nutritional and medical recommendations, the tests required and the follow-up date. When endoscopy is decided on, the center directs the family to the procedure at the hospital, and follow-up returns to the clinic. With the parents' consent the summary also goes to the pediatrician at the health fund.
The pediatric gastroenterology team at EliteMed
Pediatric gastroenterology at EliteMed is part of the center's gastroenterology service, which also includes senior specialists for adults. You can see the physicians and their subspecialties on the gastroenterology doctors listing, and the other pediatric specialists on the private pediatric specialists in Modi'in page.
Book a consultation with a private pediatric gastroenterologist
Frequently asked questions
When the pain recurs for more than two months, wakes the child from sleep, is located away from the navel, or comes with weight loss, vomiting, diarrhoea, blood in the stool or a halt in growth. Pain around the navel that passes on its own and does not affect function is usually functional, but even then a consultation can reassure and provide a plan.
No. Endoscopy for children is performed in hospital, under sedation or general anaesthesia, by a dedicated pediatric team. The gastroenterologist at the center decides whether the test is needed, explains the preparation to the parents, and accompanies the family before and after, so that follow-up and treatment continue at the clinic in Modi'in.
Diagnosis begins with an antibody blood test while the child is still eating gluten. Under current guidelines, in some children with very high antibodies and matching symptoms the diagnosis can be confirmed without a biopsy, while in others a gastroscopy with biopsy is required. The pediatric gastroenterologist decides from the full picture, and gluten must not be stopped before the work-up.
Yes. The pediatric gastroenterologist at the center treats inflammatory bowel disease in children and adolescents, including biologic treatment, follow-up of disease activity, growth and puberty, and coordination with the hospital when endoscopy or admission is needed.
No referral is needed. Bring the well-baby clinic booklet with the growth curves, earlier blood and stool tests, the pediatrician's summaries, imaging with the reports, a medication list and a one-week symptom diary. No fasting is needed before a consultation.
The fee is given when you book, before the visit. The consultation qualifies as a private specialist consultation, reimbursable under most private policies and health-fund supplementary plans, subject to policy terms, and the center provides an invoice and a medical summary for the claim. The center is at the Ayala 360 Center, 21 HaMelachot Street, Building B, 5th floor, Modi'in, with free parking nearby.