General Pancreatology Program

The General Pancreatology Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is dedicated to providing comprehensive care for children with a wide range of pancreatic disorders. The pancreas is an organ that is responsible for making digestive enzymes to help the body break down fats, proteins and sugars from food. It also releases hormones to help the body process blood sugar. When the pancreas is not functioning correctly, these processes stop working and your child needs the care of a pancreatologist.

Our program is part of CHOP’s Pancreatic Disorders Program, an internationally recognized center for expertise, care and research of pancreatic disease in children. Learn more about pancreatic disorders.

Multidisciplinary approach

Because pancreatic disorders can affect many other body systems, CHOP uses a multidisciplinary approach to care and treatment for patients.

All children referred to CHOP's general Pancreatology Program will see:

• A pancreatologist, a pediatric gastroenterologist who has undergone additional training in treating pancreatic disorders.
• A registered dietitian or nutritionist, who can help in the prevention and treatment of your child's disease

Depending on your child’s other needs or the extent of their disease, they may also see clinicians from:

• Child/Adolescent Psychology
• Pain Management
• General Surgery
• Genetics
• Endocrinology

Continuing research

Our researchers continue to investigate the causes of pancreatic diseases, new ways to assess pancreatic function, genetic links to these disorders, and cutting-edge new therapies that could treat patients and relieve their symptoms. Learn more about our research program.