As a child, whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same: a pediatrician. My love for gastroenterology developed later, during the first year of my pediatric residency. I was inspired by a very difficult case and the gastroenterologist who helped me solve it. I also developed a special interest in nutrition, which is so important for all children, especially when they are sick.
I treat children with a variety of GI problems, including inflammatory bowel disease, short bowel syndrome, esophageal reflux, and failure to thrive. I have special expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease—a disease treated solely with diet. I am one of the first pediatric gastroenterologists to become part of Columbia's Celiac Center, which brings together physicians and scientists to integrate patient care, education, and research involving this disease.
I played an integral part in developing the pediatric nutrition support service at Babies Hospital—now called NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. We provide specialized nutrition services, like parental nutrition, tochildren with acute or chronic illnesses that prevent them from using their gut for nutrition. This service has grown exponentially over the years.
I have also been involved in liver, celiac, and IBD research and I have served on the Data Safety Monitoring Board for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I am a member of several national committees involved in celiac disease research and policy.
