An endoscopy is a procedure used to detect ulcers, acid reflux, food allergy, infection and Celiac disease. It can be used to determine the cause of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.

After your child is asleep (by sedation or general anesthesia), an endoscope — a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera on the end — is inserted into your child’s mouth in order to visualize the esophagus, stomach and beginning of the small intestine. Small tissue samples (called biopsies) are collected. A pathology laboratory will use these samples to diagnose your child.

This test is available at the following locations: CHOP’s Main Campus; and CHOP Care Network locations in Voorhees, NJ; Bucks County, PA; King of Prussia, PA; and Exton, PA.

Endoscopy prep instructions 

For your child’s safety, it is very important that you follow these instructions exactly. If you do not follow these instructions, your child’s procedure may be cancelled.

Your child may eat until 11 p.m. on the day before the procedure. Your child may drink only clear liquids from 11 p.m. until two hours before arrival time. He or she will not be allowed to drink or eat anything from arrival time until after the procedure is done.

Babies under 12 months old may have breast milk until three hours before arrival at CHOP. If your child is older than 12 months old, please don't feed him or her breast milk after 11 p.m. the night before the procedure.