Diet & Nutrition
Milk-Free Diet
Soy-Free Diet
Milk, Egg, and Soy-Free Birthday Cake Recipe
Low-Lactose Information
Low-Lactose Diet
Lactose Breath Test
Lactose Breath Test (in Spanish)
When your child has Lactose Intolerance
High Calorie Diets
Instructions to fortify breast milk or formula (except "Neocate")
Instructions on how to fortify Neocate
High-calorie food options for kids
High-calorie liquid food options for kids
Other Diets
Diet for Minimizing Diarrhea
Diet for Functional Abdominal Pain
Diet for Functional Abdominal Pain (in Spanish)
Related Links
Food Allergies
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
More Resources
Eating a High Fiber Diet
Helping Your Child Eat Healthy for Life
For Parents: Helping Your Teen Eat Healthy
Eating Healthy: Good Nutrition Quiz
When Your Child Is Eating Less
Food How It Moves Through Your Body
American Dietetic Association
Recipes for Nursing Moms
Anatomy of the Pediatric Digestive System
The digestive system breaks food down into basic nutrients that can be used by the body. As food moves through the digestive tract, it's digested (broken down into parts and absorbed into the bloodstream). Certain organs (such as the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas) help with this digestion. Parts of food that can't be digested become stool. This is waste material that's passed out of the body. Learn More.
Digestive System
- The mouth takes in food, breaks it into pieces, and begins the process of digestion.
- The esophagus moves food from the mouth to the stomach.
- The stomach breaks food down into a liquid mixture.
- The small intestine digests food further and absorbs nutrients. What's left is passed on to the colon as liquid waste.
- The large intestine (colon) absorbs water, salt, and other minerals from liquid waste, forming a solid stool.
- The rectum stores stool until a bowel movement occurs.
- The anus is the opening where stool leaves the body.
- The liver makes bile (a fluid that helps digest fat). It also breaks down nutrients and stores energy.
- The gallbladder stores bile.
- The pancreas makes enzymes that help with digestion.
- The appendix is a small hollow structure that's attached to the large intestine. It has no clear function in the body, but it can become blocked and infected.
Date Last Reviewed: 9/30/2006
Date Last Modified: 9/30/2006
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