title: Structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract in infants and children.
abstract: An understanding of gastrointestinal tract development is essential in understanding the pathology and management of common structural anomalies and functional disorders in the pediatric population. This article reviews key steps in the embryologic development of the gastrointestinal tract and the acquisition of fecal continence, with brief explanations of common functional and structural disorders.
authors.affiliation: Emory University WOC Nursing Education Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. ddought@emory.edu
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doughty
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000451:nursing; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn