Pediatric Colorectal Center: Surgery & Treatments

Lurie Children’s renowned Colorectal Center provides comprehensive care for our pediatric patients with colorectal conditions, treating patients from the neonatal period through early adulthood. The multidisciplinary team includes experts in nutrition, pediatric surgery, social work and psychology.  
Our goal is for our patients to stool with regularity and participate in all social activities with the confidence of being accident-free and enjoying an enhanced quality of life. To that end, the relationships built pre-surgery continue for many years, so each patient’s life can remain as easy and manageable as possible for years to come. 

Additionally, our team is at the forefront of care for our patients. Lurie Children’s Colorectal Center is the only hospital in Illinois that participates in the Pediatric Colorectal Pelvic Learning Consortium, a national group committed to education and research aimed at improving the quality of life of people affected by colorectal conditions and congenital pelvic anomalies.

Conditions We Treat


Treatments Available

  • Surgical repair for anorectal malformation
  • Surgery for Hirschsprung disease
  • Appendicocecostomy/Cecostomy/Malone/MACE
  • Laparoscopic or open surgery for colonic anomalies
  • Procedures for rectal prolapse
  • Anorectal and Colonic manometry
  • Pelvic floor therapy
  • Other non-surgical treatments for constipation including individualized bowel treatment plans

Colorectal Center’s Continuity Clinic

The Continuity Clinic consists of routine appointments for post-operative care, pre-operative planning, patient education, treatment modification, and family life services. During the visit additional tests, such as an X-ray, may be needed.

Our team – consisting of a pediatric surgeon, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and a registered nurse (RN) – works with families and participants at Lurie Children’s main campus and various Lurie Children’s Outpatient Centers. Our social worker, dietician and language interpreters are also available during these appointments.

Colorectal Team

The Colorectal Center includes a surgical team that has a passion for caring for children with colorectal anomalies and who will work with you on the best treatment for your child’s condition.

Julia E. Grabowski, MD, FAAP, FACS

Dr. Grabowski is a board-certified pediatric surgeon with a special interest in the treatment of patients with anorectal malformations (imperforate anus, cloaca), Hirschsprung disease, colonic dysmotility and constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, and other colorectal and intestinal diseases.

Dr. Grabowski’s practice also includes the full breadth of pediatric surgery including hernias, gastrostomy tube placement, gallbladder disease, appendicitis, pilonidal disease, gastroesophageal malformations, traumatic injuries, and adolescent breast disease, among others.

Alison R. Osborne, APRN-NP, CWON

Alison Osborne is an advanced practice nurse in the Division of Pediatric Surgery specializing in the surgical care and treatment of children with a variety of congenital and acquired conditions with a particular focus on anorectal and intestinal diseases. She is the lead APRN in the Colorectal Center, and, as a certified wound and ostomy nurse, she has a specific expertise with this patient population.

Jacquelyn Searcy

Jacquelyn Searcy is the Program Coordinator for the Pediatric Colorectal Center Team.

Taylor Sepuha, BSN, RN, CPN

Taylor Sepuha BSN, RN, CPN, is a nurse in the Division of Pediatric Surgery who also supports the Colorectal Center. She has an interest in patient education and experience in international surgical care, particularly in patients with anorectal malformations.

Colorectal Health Institute for Pediatrics (CHIP) Program

The CHIP clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic that provides our patients with a broader spectrum of care and expertise. Our combined clinical specialists include the Colorectal Center team as well as our gastroenterology motility team of physicians and advanced practice nurses, who combine clinic visit and coordinate procedures. This referral-based program also has social workers, child life specialists, language interpreters, a dietitian and a psychologist.

CHIP Camp

The CHIP Camp is a week-long outpatient bowel management program for children who want even more intensive assistance. The program makes daily modifications to each child’s individual regimens, and in addition to daily monitoring, it features an educational lecture series for parents and social support groups for children and parents. Learn more about the CHIP Camp. 

Make an Appointment

For additional questions, more information or to make an appointment, please call the Colorectal Center’s main line, 312.227.4095

Preparing for Your Visit to the Colorectal Center or CHIP

If your child has not had any tests done yet, there is no need to schedule them.  If your child has had previous tests related to their colorectal condition, it is helpful to the team if you can bring those reports. To develop your child’s individualized plan, the team may request additional tests once your appointment is scheduled.

Research

The Colorectal Center and CHIP’s both participate actively in research with a goal to improve the care of our colorectal patients. Lurie Children’s is the only hospital in Illinois that participates in the Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Learning Consortium (PCPLC). The PCPLC is a consortium of surgeons, scientists, and other specialists from multiple international institutions that was developed to facilitate research on anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease, and other colorectal and pelvic disorders. The PCPLC provides the infrastructure for conducting focused studies that are designed to improve our understanding of our patients’ diseases, modify surgical and medical management and direct future treatments. 

Philanthropy

Your support is vital in helping us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Lurie Children's relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for children. To learn more, please e-mail the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500