Been meaning to thank Dr Hii, for quite some years.

We took our son to see Dr Hii, at the Nuffield Clinic in Brighton some time ago. As parents we felt totally desperate at this point, our son was experiencing pain, constipation with some other unpleasant symptoms connected to the constipation.

Dr Hii was incredible, got a handle on the problem immediately, no invasive examination, just felt our sons tummy. Sorted out his problem, very easily with meds. It has been life changing for our son.

We will be forever grateful for Dr Hii’s help. Sorry it’s taken so long to say thank you!

My son had been suffering from diarrhoea, tummy pain and some other symptoms for a few months. It had been very difficult to access help from our GP and I was very concerned about what could be wrong with my son and the impact it was having on his school attendance and wellbeing.

We were able to see Dr Hii very quickly, a few days after calling for an appointment. We were booked in for blood tests, skin prick testing and fructose tolerance test the day after seeing him, plus stool samples. Dr Hii really listened to our issues and gave me high confidence that we would get to the root cause of what was going on. The testing was done in a way that made my son feel at ease and not worried about the process. Femi was very kind and relaxed with my son and took the time to explain everything to him.

The results were in a few days later and my son had positive results on blood tests which suggested coeliac disease. We had a video consultation with the Dr the same day as getting the results and he talked us through the next steps. A gastroscopy to confirm the diagnosis was booked. We were nervous about this but the care was excellent and I felt very reassured by the experienced team. I was anxious about the anaesthetic but Clare the anaesthetist was really experienced and took the time to explain it all to us in detail. The hospital room was really comfortable and my son loved having his own TV and being able to order food after the procedure!! I think he ordered himself at least two bowls of ice cream….

Our results were back a couple of weeks later and confirmed the expected diagnosis of coeliac disease. My son has been on a gluten free diet for a couple of weeks and already this has made a really positive difference to his health. We are seeing the dietician Chris at the end of the week to talk us through being gluten free in more detail.

I can’t thank everyone enough and would highly recommend this clinic to any other parents going through similar situations.

My 5-year-old boy was suffering from chronic diarrhoea for months.

We had numerous doctors appointments, around 6 where he was seen by a number of different local doctors. He also had 3 blood tests and the doctors kept coming back with nothing was wrong. Obviously there was something wrong as my son ended up not being able to control himself and soiling his pants most days. My son was being sent home from school and telling me he couldn’t control himself and it was getting worse. It was of course upsetting for him and for us as we didn’t know where to start.

My friend recommended the Paediatric Gut investigation clinic and so I made an appointment.

At the first appointment, I couldn’t believe it when they mentioned he had severe constipation. This had never crossed my mind as I thought it was the total opposite. Michael Hii explained what was happening and it made total sense.

My son started his treatment, we sent off stool samples and removed dairy and soya from his diet.

We went back to the clinic for blood tests and Femi was amazing as my son had a total massive melt down, Femi didn’t push anything , just took his time and engaged with my son and after about an hour managed to get the tests completed.

After a few weeks the results of his samples were in and the difference in the sets of results were amazing. Luckily the clinic were able to rule out Inflammatory Bowel Disease and able to tell me my son has a dairy and soya intolerance.

I am extremely grateful to Michael and Femi who have managed to resolve the problem and get my son back to leading a normal life with a change of diet. Mine and my sons clinic experience was 10 out of 10. Thank you to everyone at the clinic who made it possible to help my boy.

My daughter had been suffering from issues with her stomach for a number of years, slowing getting worse but to the point that her daily life was being impacted. She had gone from a physically active girl to someone who was struggling with pain and cramps every day. We had been supported by our GP however reached the point a referral to a specialist consultant was required. We were informed the NHS had a significant waiting list; privately funding health care was not something I have ever considered accessible to me however I was desperate to get help for my daughter. From the moment I contacted the Pediatric Gut team I felt supported and informed about the options available to me and how much it would cost which was much more affordable than I had considered (there have been not hidden costs).

I was advised what information would be helpful for my NHS GP to share with the Consultant and every effort was made by the Pediatric Gut Staff to liaise with my GP to ensure this information was obtain before our first appointment which was offered within a week!

From the moment we arrived for our Consultation we felt fully supported, in a child friendly environment, there was not a moment we did not have a member of staff looking after us. The meeting with the Doctor was client centered with my daughter being directly consulted about what she had been experiencing. The main feeling, she expressed to me was that she had felt listened to and that for the first time it felt as if the Doctor was confident what the issues was and how it would be addressed, she had spent so long feeling nobody knew what was wrong with her and therefore she just had to live with the pain and condition. We left that first appointment with a diagnosis and treatment plan which my daughter had fully explained to her for her to understand the treatment, what caused it and how it could be managed, she was also reassured this would be monitored by an arranging follow up appointment. We were encouraged to make the Doctor aware of any issues we had in carrying out the agreed treatment or any concerns we had.

My daughter had some tests which were completed on the same day. The staff nurse was simply amazing in the way he explained what would be happening with the procedure and checking in with my daughter that she was happy to go ahead with it at each stage to ensure as much as possible she was in control and could ask questions. If I would have been told that within a month my daughter would have experienced the recovery, she, has I honestly would not have thought it would have been possible.

I cannot thank the staff from the Pediatric team enough for the support and treatment my daughter received, if I had released how easy it would have been to access this specialist support, how efficient it would and how beneficial to the quality of my daughter’s life I would have done it years ago.

We have had fantastic care and support from the minute our daughter was referred. She was very nervous about the tests to start off with, but was quickly put at ease by the wonderful staff at the hospital. All the care she received from Dr Hii, Femi and Chris was excellent. Everything was explained to her in a way that she understood and this made her feel confident and comfortable to ask any questions throughout. She is feeling so much better already after only 3 weeks. I have no doubt that this positive experience and outcome will help her with any medical appointments she may have in the future. Thank you!

My daughter has had reflux from 8 weeks old and after going backwards and forwards with the GP, I contacted Femi for advice and he suggested that it could be a milk allergy after a review with Dr Hii and testing this was confirmed and her symptoms subsided with medication and dietary changes. However they returned when she was just over 18 months and Femi and Dr Hii were both amazing again and I was able to get an appointment within 2 days.  The examination was so thorough and Dr Hii explained everything and gave us a very detailed plan and Femi followed up with all the advice sheets and support. I can’t thank them enough and my daughter is much happier now, eating should be an enjoyable experience so I would highly recommend Paediatric Gut Investigation Clinic if your child is having discomfort from eating and they will assist you and making eating fun again.

It was very good all the service and information provided by the doctors, assistants, nurses and staff of the Paediatric Gut clinic. Special mention to Dr Hii, Eleanor Smith that was always very helpful, quick and efficient, Paediatric Nurse Femi was very patient and knowledgeable, Dr Hi also provided accurate information and great experience. Thank you very much to everyone for the excellent care given to my daughter Steffi.

My son had a hydrogen breath test with Femi. We were very pleased with how it went, my son and myself were well looked after in a professional and very caring way and the test was conducted efficiently with friendly chat and information to put you at your ease.

We wanted to thank you so very much for everything you’ve done for us over the past few days – your amazing ‘can do’ approach, your reassuring manner, your clear medical explanations. We’re so grateful for your time and expertise and feel that, with the SIBO test being positive, there’s a way forward now.

Many thanks once again

I knew from the moment I spoke to you on the phone that you wanted to help Charlie. Our whole experience on Friday was so positive and I honestly don’t know where we would be right now had we not had the appointment and started Charlie on his journey of recovery. He has had 3 sachets of the laxative now and is on the move!!

Your whole approach, especially for a 14-year-old boy is the right balance of kindness and knowledge, such a great combination for a paediatric medical professional. You made us feel welcome and clearly genuinely wanted to help Charlie but in a relaxed and informed way.

I feel so lucky that we were able to come on Friday, I truly cannot thank you enough.

Kind regards

My son attended the clinic after having some initial tests done via our GP, as he would often suffer from abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Dr Hii arranged for a pediatric nurse to carry out further tests and they were very thorough. They included two hydrogen breath tests, and a skin prick test to look for a reaction to various foods. All of these were painless, and the nurse was so lovely and totally put my son at ease. After all tests were negative we concluded my son had a delayed reaction to something, and Dr Hii guided us through food elimination, providing us with information in each case so it was easy to plan meals. After eliminating dairy and not seeing any change, we then moved on to wheat and gluten elimination, and the symptoms then cleared. I am so grateful to Dr Hii and the clinic staff for helping me isolate the cause, I didn’t want to eliminate food groups without the guidance of a specialist, as I didn’t want to deprive my son of nutrients. I actually don’t mind the changes we have had to make to his diet, as I’m just so relieved to have him feeling better.

I have twins, and almost since weaning, I noticed that my son Jack’s stools were looser than my daughters. I can’t tolerate gluten, and so I tried Jack on a gluten-free two weeks at around 18 months, but it did not make any difference. By three years old various family and friends would regularly laugh at Jack’s bloated tummy (he said he had a baby inside) and my nanny confirmed her nephew of the same age did not have a “big tummy” like Jack’s. He would sometimes poo up to 6 times a day, sometimes with mucus, and started to have a few accidents when he couldn’t get to the toilet in time. I knew that wherever we went, I would need to access a bathroom, which is not always comfortable with Covid restrictions and when we are such an outdoors family. I also tried a dairy-free/reduced regime which made a slight difference, but not significantly.

Our GP was not any help and told me it could be anything “even the water”, that we might never find out what the cause is, he’ll probably grow out of it. Brilliant I thought as we scrubbed some more soiled pants. Even doctors within the family were pretty dismissive.

In the end, I used Google and found Paediatric Gut Investigation. Femi was very responsive, persistent (with my slight non-commitment) and helpful from the start. We went to see him and Jack loved “Benny” as he called him. The GP had said blood tests in kids are horrific and he would be scarred for love…Jack said it was okay for Femi to do one, and didn’t even cry.

The intolerance I least wanted to have confirmed as Fructose. Why could he not be gluten-intolerant like me then we could eat the same foods?! Anyway, Femi quietly persisted with me and after an inconclusive but interesting hydrogen breath test I finally agreed to do the Fructose exclusion diet. It wasn’t as bad as I feared. In fact, after a few days, it was clear Fructose was the problem. After nine days, we had a Zoom with Chris, the Nutritionist, and we are now working out what Jack can and can’t tolerate. He can eat some fruit and most veg – just not huge glasses of orange juice and processed foods laced with hidden fructose additives and tons of sugar. And best of all, if we do go off track for one party day or something, Dr Hii assured me this will not harm Jack long term, just that symptoms will return, and so he’ll probably not want those foods anyway. This has proved true…

I would say that I should have listed to Femi’s suggestion of an FF diet sooner and that no-one should be swayed by the view of supposed “experts” if as a parent you think the advice you are being given is not correct. PGIC actually listen and try to solve the problem. Good luck!

Once again, thank you so much Benny (Femi)…you’ve made a huge difference to Jack.

Best Wishes

From about the age of 4, our daughter started to have occasional soiling accidents in her knickers. This started to become more regular and having potty trained fine at about 18 months we were struggling to understand why she would be doing this. At the time we were in the process of moving house and within six months my daughter started school and therefore put the accidents down to a way of dealing with the emotional stress. However, things became increasingly worse. She would actively stop herself going to the toilet by sitting on her heal and be regularly soiling her knickers. She had settled in very well at school and had a good group of friends but her behaviour at home was getting increasingly difficult, with full on tantrums and screaming. When she had an accident, we would get cross with her, as we believed she was just being lazy.

The situation became a lot more serious in January 2017, when my daughter started having severe stomach cramps and being sick. We went to A&E where they gave her some laxatives and said she was impacted. We were told to give her laxatives until she went to the toilet and then to stop. However, after the initial clear out, the problem started all over again. My daughter could go a week or more without having a bowel movement. It was then we decided to get professional help from a specialist, Dr Hii.

Dr Hii saw our daughter in early 2017 and carried out various tests and x-rays to identify any allergies, abnormalities and whether she was still constipated. The x-ray clearly showed that she was backed right up and Dr Hii helped us through a full disimpaction of the backed up poo. With his great understanding of the issue, it became clear that this was not something that can be solved overnight but that it was all about regular bowel movements, medication, close monitoring and most of all gaining an understanding that our daughter was not doing this on purpose. In fact, she had lost complete sensation of her bowels and the soiling was leakage of overflow poo, seeping around the blockage.

Dr Hii got us to try a variety of different medications and diets to find the right combination that would work for our daughter. He also gave us some great tips, such as sitting on the toilet for 5 mins at the start and the end of the day. We have eventually found a balance of medication that gives us regular bowel movements and 1 year on from first seeing Dr Hii we feel we can see the end in sight. We are still doing our twice a day toilet sits, and keeping a poo diary, but we have now managed 1 month with no accidents and my daughter is now dry at night, another side effect of severe constipation.

I am so pleased that we took the step to get professional help from Dr Hii, as now, aged 7, our daughter is so much more outgoing, confident and calm. Her behaviour has really improved and we now talk openly about the things which cause her anxiety so we can deal with them, rather than her storing up her problems in her bowel.

I have no reservations at all about recommending Dr Hii for other children with similar issues – it has truly been a life saver for us.

“I can not thank Femi enough for his care for my son. My son has Asperger’s and has had tummy trouble for years. Sometimes not very often other times every day especially in the evening. We have been back and forth to the doctors who have either diagnosed stress or anxiety and eventually IBS. We all know our own children and know when something just isn’t right. After the last 6 months os loose stools up to 6 times a day, weight loss and other symptoms I searches the internet for answers and found the paediatric gut clinic at Gatwick. I read the reviews and figured I had nothing to lose. Well, what can I say after a long chat over the phone with Femi we were booked in for a few days time. My son was terrified of the appointment he didn’t want to be weighed or measured examined. After meeting Femi he totally relaxed for the rest of the appointment until the blood tests. He was hysterical when Femi tried to do the test and for a while, we didn’t think he would go through with it. But with Femi’s amazing patience, honesty, calming friendly approach he did it! I could t believe it he actually had a blood test and watched too! The following day he had a fructose test along with other allergy tests. The allergies all came out negative however the fructose test was a huge positive. After a month of a very restricted diet, I can honestly say my son’s symptoms are 90% better. Without the help and support of Femi there is no way we would now be where we are today. I simply can not thank Femi enough.If you are reading this thinking I know this person is saying this but my son is different. Honestly, if you knew my son you wouldn’t believe he managed the test don’t hesitate and give them a call. Thanks, Femi for everything.

From our first consultation with Dr Hii and the paediatric lead nurse Femi, we knew we were in good hands. Femi was brilliant with my son, taking time to make sure he was pain-free before taking blood and being very relaxed and calm so that my son was totally chilled too.

This process isn’t a quick fix but more like a marathon where slow and steady wins the race. I had to stay focused on the goal of working out which foods were causing my son’s intolerance and Dr Hii and Femi were great at keeping us on track as we steadily worked our way through exclusion diets to figure this out. They were also good at listening to our ideas and thoughts and it was a combined effort with my son at the heart of all the decisions made.

It’s taken a while but we got there and now know exactly what foods are my son’s triggers and what we can do about it! We are so happy we preserved and listened to all the advice from the team to get this great result!

I came with my daughter to see Doc Hii. She had been suffering from tummy aches constantly and nothing I did helped. It was really upsetting when she would keep telling me her tummy hurt and she was in pain and I was unable to help.

We got a referral to see Doc Hii. He asked lots of questions and talked through things that could be causing her tummy aches and tests that could be carried out to find answers. He made me feel confident that a solution would be found.

My daughter had different tests and he was great at explaining why each was necessary and what he hoped to find. He would also mention what could be done next if the tests did not produce any results, which always made me feel reassured that there was other avenues to explore.

Femi his nurse carried out some of the tests at the hospital and my daughter instantly liked him. He was patient and kind, explaining everything and giving time for me to ask questions or to reassure my daughter.
Doc Hii found that my daughter was suffering from a dairy intolerance and he gave me additional information via email as well as talking to me about how to proceed. Also mentioning different ways to make sure she still got sufficient calcium.

All became much better, but she was still sometimes suffering from a bloated, sore tummy. At our next appointment I mentioned this and Doc Hii suggested what could be causing it, asking questions and offering a way to test it.

My daughter was reassured to hear that it would be Femi performing the test which resulted in her being diagnosed with a fructose intolerance.
We are now able to manage her diet at home and my daughter now has no tummy aches and it’s such a relief.

We are still having follow up appointments for now, which are getting further apart each time and a few more tests to make sure everything is fine.

The service we have received has been amazing. After spending so long listening to my daughter saying she was in pain, it’s so lovely to never hear her mentioning her tummy. I would recommend Doc Hii to anyone.

“We came to see Dr Hii and Femi because our son had been suffering with constipation for 2 years and it was having a major negative impact on his quality of life. We had tried discussing our concerns with other healthcare professionals but had been reassured “constipation is common in children” and dismissed. Before our consultation, Femi was very helpful, responding promptly to my emails and taking the time to talk with me in detail over the phone. I wrote a summary of our childs needs before I attended our appointment, and this had been read by both Femi and Dr Hii. At our appointment, we were seen promptly. Dr Hii took time to discuss the issues our son was experiencing, and how this was impacting on his life. We were treated with a great deal of respect, and our concerns were taken seriously. Dr Hii took a thorough history and examined our son. Blood tests and allergy tests were recommended. Femi had a great positive attitude and our son responded very well to him. He explained the blood test and involved my son in the decisions (cream or cold spray). My son chose the cold spray and he tested this on his arm. The blood test was painless, and he did not even need a plaster afterwards. Likewise with the allergy tests. It was discovered my son had an allergy to wheat and we commenced a wheat-free diet. We returned to the clinic a month later for the blood test results. As the constipation had not resolved, we were advised to trial a diary-free diet. Within days, the combined wheat-diary free diet had a dramatic positive impact on our son’s constipation and wellbeing. We continue to be supported by the clinic and feel able to access their support and advice. We cannot recommend the clinic highly enough.”

My daughter Rachel became ill at the beginning of 2017, after a few visits to the GP she was referred urgently to see Dr Hii. He took the time to talk directly to Rachel very much including her in the consultation. That first appointment he requested blood tests which Femi the nurse performed that day. Rachel had never had a blood test before so was understandably anxious but Femi was fantastic putting her immediately at ease. The fact that the tests could be done the same day was a massive bonus as there was no time to worry further. Femi made Rachel feel relaxed and even managed to make her smile and laugh while he took several tubes of blood. Making the first time such a positive experience has been a massive help as Rachel has subsequently had so many more blood tests and several canula’s now and she never worries about them.

The results of the blood came back extremely quickly and Dr Hii rang to discuss the results. Two weeks later Rachel was back having a colonoscopy and endoscopy under general anaesthetic at Gatwick Park. Dr Hii ensured he came to talk to Rachel before the procedure and came to speak with me while Rachel was in recovery. Femi made sure he was also there to check Rachel in, fit her canula and generally look after her for the whole day nothing was too much trouble.

On diagnosis of Crohn’s disease Dr Hii organised an appointment with Chris Smith the dietician to discuss special drinks Rachel was to take to help her immediately feel better. The communication and support we as a family have received have been fantastic!

So positive was the experience Rachel has no fear of hospital visits and Femi is her all-time favourite nurse!

We first went to the paediatric gut investigation clinic in desperation about 12 months ago. My daughter had been symptomatic for about 2 years previously and we had tried everything without success. For many months I put it down to “normal” stomach upsets and then it became so frequent and severe that she was missing school. She was feeling lethargic, was very grumpy – probably partly as she was a teenager but also I am sure as she was unwell all the time. It was horrible to see that she also would not go to friends’ houses as she was so frightened of being unwell. The GP was not particularly helpful and the first consultant we saw provided antibiotics for a gut infection and suggested she stay off Gluten. We went Gluten free for a year which did not help. We also tried alternative therapies which were very costly and did not work at all.

As soon as we spoke with Femi at PGI we felt in safe hands. He is definitely the best nurse we have ever met and wonderfully crazy to gain my daughters confidence. Femi explained to us the process and how to find trigger foods. I was convinced it was something serious as she had been so poorly for so long. All the normal diets of no dairy, gluten, eggs had not helped.

Following a number of tests several things were uncovered and treated, one being a bacterial overgrowth which was treated and gave short term relief. After various tests and guided by Dr Hii and Femi we finally found the culprit – Fructose!

I should have had more faith when Femi told us it is nearly always food related. The relief when she stopped taking fructose (apple juice) was instant and we are delighted with the service we received.

Thank you!!

The service we received from the Gastroenterology Department at the Gatwick Spire Hospital was extremely good from initial referral to getting a diagnosis. My son was dealt with swiftly and professionally whilst the nurses, Femi in particular, made him feel relaxed and informed Matthew of what was going on every step of the way. He was booked in for stomach and intestinal biopsies within a week on our initial appointment with the consultant and on the day of admission the nurses explained exactly what would happen with the procedure and he was visited by both the consultant and anaesthetist before he went down to theatre in case he had any questions.

The procedure itself went smoothly and the consultant came up to see me and tell me what he had found before my son was brought up from theatre. When my son had recovered from the anaesthetic and was brought back up to the ward the consultant, Dr Hii, came up to see us again and explain to my son what he had found during the procedure. We were then given an appointment a week later to discuss the results of the biopsies. The whole experience was smooth and we were informed at all times of what was going on and what the next step would be and could email or ring the department at any time if we had any questions in between appointments. These were always answered promptly and efficiently.

Thank you for all your support Femi during this difficult time. Matthew and I really appreciated your prompt response in dealing with everything and all the appointments that you booked for us. You really are a gem and I hope that the doctors you work with all appreciate how hard you work and how efficient you are!

During the past few months I have been undergoing treatment at Gatwick Park where I have met the most amazing team of doctors and nurses. When I first got there I felt scared because I didn’t know what they would do, but the minute I met Dr Michael Hii I felt relaxed as he was so kind. I was told I had to have a blood test I was very nervous but I did not have time to get nervous. In no time I was introduced to a nurse called Femi who made me laugh and I was no longer scared. He gave me some magic cream and I did not feel a thing even though he took so much blood he still kept me giggling for the whole time I was in there.

The results came back very quickly and Dr Hii was able to talk to my mum and explain the treatment I would need. Within under two weeks I was undergoing treatment and as I had more and more treatment (blood transfusion colonoscopy endoscopy and many cannulas and blood tests) it became fun to go to the hospital as Chris, Dr Hii and Femi were so kind and super funny if you ever have to meet any of the team there is no need to get anxious they so kind and nice.

I went back to see Femi a few weeks ago to take him some biscuits I had made. He scoffed the lot and I’m told he loves carrot cake (he loves it when you give him food related gifts) although my journey has not quiet ended yet the team has made this stressful experience feel so much easier, I never worry about going to the hospital and I’m excited about the future. (Diagnosed with Cohn’s disease in 2017)

My daughter Rachel became ill at the beginning of 2017, after a few visits to the GP she was referred urgently to see Dr Hii. He took the time to talk directly to Rachel very much including her in the consultation. That first appointment he requested blood tests which Femi the nurse performed that day. Rachel had never had a blood test before so was understandably anxious but Femi was fantastic putting her immediately at ease. The fact that the tests could be done the same day was a massive bonus as there was no time to worry further.

Femi made Rachel feel relaxed and even managed to make her smile and laugh while he took several tubes of blood. Making the first time such a positive experience has been a massive help as Rachel has subsequently had so many more bloods tests and several canula’s now and she never worries about them. The results of the bloods came back extremely quickly and Dr Hii rang to discuss the results.

Two weeks later Rachel was back having a colonoscopy and endoscopy under general anaesthetic at Gatwick Park. Dr Hii ensured he came to talk to Rachel before the procedure and came to speak with me while Rachel was in recovery. Femi made sure he was also there to check Rachel in, fit her canula and generally look after her for the whole day nothing was too much trouble. On diagnosis of Crohns disease Dr Hii organised an appointment with Chris Smith the dietician to discuss special drinks Rachel was to take to help her immediately feel better. The communication and support we as a family have received has been fantastic! So positive was the experience Rachel has no fear of hospital visits and Femi is her all-time favourite nurse!

My daughter (7) had suffered from poor gut health ever since a severe bout of food poisoning 4 years ago. Over that time we tried all sorts of different supplements and diets to relieve her bloating and diarrhoea – all to no avail as we were unable to find any clear link between her diet and her gut problems and I had started to think it was related to mental health (which gave me another thing to worry about). Eventually, we enlisted the help of the Paediatric Gut Investigation Clinic as it had started to impact on her life and activities and I were concerned about whether she was getting enough nutrients.

Very quickly the clinic was able to start working through a list of potential options to test. They made my daughter feel at ease (in fact she really enjoyed her visits to the clinic) and once a couple of the more common conditions were ruled out they were able to identify the solution, which we would never have got to on our own. She is now (for the first time ever) able to clean herself up after using the toilet, which has given her more independence in terms of doing activities which go beyond 5 pm (when she would usually need to be at home to use the toilet). She also no longer suffers from the extreme end of day bloating which had been getting steadily worse.

I had almost given up hope of finding a solution when we consulted the clinic. To know that we know have a firm diagnosis which we can manage into the future is more than I had hoped for and I am very grateful to the clinic for all their help. I just wish I had consulted them earlier!

We were recently referred to the Paediatric Gut Investigation Clinic after months of stomach issues with my 3-year-old son.

Our initial consultation with Dr Hii was very thorough; he asked lots of questions to get a full understanding and history of my son’s condition.

It was not at all rushed and we had lots of opportunities to ask questions. We felt very at ease with Dr Hii, he was very patient and explained everything very well. My son loved asking for a sticker at the end, nothing was too much trouble!

Following this appointment, we then had to have blood tests and a skin prick test. The appointment for this was booked very quickly and what could have been a stressful/traumatic ordeal for my son was very straightforward and uncomplicated. Femi, the nurse, was excellent with children. He chatted and played with my son, putting him at ease and reassuring him throughout so that he hardly even knew that he was having his blood taken.

He made the whole experience as ‘fun’ as it can be for a small child having blood taken!

We received the tests results within a week and this was followed up with another appointment with Dr Hii, who again explained the diagnosis well and provided us with all the information we needed to treat this condition.

Having followed the advice given by Dr Hii, it has now been 8 weeks and after our final appointment, we have now completed our treatment with the Paediatric Gut Investigation Clinic.

We are very impressed with the whole experience. It can be a very traumatic time not knowing what is wrong with your child but both Dr Hii and Nurse Femi offer an excellent level of service, expertise and knowledge and I would highly recommend this service.

Our 13 year old son (normally fit and well) was admitted as an emergency to our local NHS hospital with severe abdominal pain. He presented with a grey pallor and continual indescribable stomach pain. I can only liken it to him being in childbirth! Urgent bloods, chest and abdominal x rays were taken. The doctors initially thought he may have a collapse lung or an acute infection. However, all bloods and x rays were normal apart from the abdominal x-ray showing severe constipation. He was commenced on a low dose of Movicol and also medication for abdominal migraines. However, there was little improvement, the pain continued, he had no appetite, was dehydrated and suffered nausea for over a week. He was admitted and discharged from hospital a number of times. During this time I became absolutely desperate to get help for my son. I ended up googling abdominal pain and that is when I came across Dr Hii and his team. I phoned the number in the evening not expecting to speak to someone. Surprisingly the lead nurse answered and he was absolutely fantastic, providing information and support. Our appointment with Dr Hii was excellent, we felt very reassured for the first time of his diagnosis of chronic constipation. Probably linked to him having a very bad episode of flu 6 weeks earlier. He started him on a clear plan of medication and diet. As well as providing back up if things detoriated again. We are so grateful to Paediatric Gut investigation for their professional expertise.

“My three and half-year-old son had been displaying symptoms of chronic stomach ache, bloating and on a few occasions, he was physically sick. This had started as mild symptoms in January and by the time I went to see Dr Hi it was chronic, not sleeping or eating properly, and that was in June. The doctor was very thorough and did all the skin prick tests, blood tests and also stool tests for my son. He then mentioned doing a trial diet and cutting out either wheat/gluten or dairy. I started with wheat because of the symptoms he was displaying and also because he did have a very heavy wheat diet, too much love for sausages!!

Within three weeks there was a significant difference with my son. The stomach pains had stopped, he was sleeping through the night again and he was eating more food. He then started to tell us when going to supermarkets that some of the foods he used to eat were hurting his stomach!

When we went back in August to see Dr Hi again the difference in Ollie was huge, he was happy, pain-free and had put on 800 grams since his last appointment!

I am so thankful they recommended doing this diet and highly recommend this to any parent to start with first. Who knew foods could cause such discomfort!”

“My son William had been having various digestive problems. He frequently had stomach ache, felt sick and would get pains in his chest. He also had problems with loose bowels.

We attended the gut investigation unit where various tests were performed such as breath test, food allergy prick test, stool sample and blood test. The blood test he was particularly worried about but Femi put him at ease and used the magic cream and he didn’t even feel it. The blood test had to be repeated and he didn’t worry about it the second time.

The result was that he had a milk and fructose intolerance.

There was difficulty reintroducing and we also paid for a trip to see a dietician for his input and analysis that William was getting essential nutrients.

We have worked with this for the last year and changed his diet. He can get away with small amounts of fructose and the occasional bit of cheese on pizza. We still have the odd time that he will complain of feeling sick or having stomach ache but these are not very frequent. Would totally recommend a trip to the unit to see Dr Li and Femi, William has felt so much better since”.

Thanks again for your help Femi.

I would just like to say a big thank you for helping me get to where we are now.

After our son was on dairy-free he was still complaining about stomach aches and having toilet accidents on a daily basis to the point it stopped us enjoying quality family time out and about. As he’s starting school I looked into a special clinic as I just couldn’t send him the way he was. After Dr Hii suggested keep him off soya we quickly changed his diet and put him on a laxative. Not fully understanding that it was constipation causing daily accidents Dr Hii explained everything and we came off soya and wow what a difference. It did take about 5 weeks before tummy really settled into a routine with toilet but he’s not had any stomach aches, he’s going regular, he’s much happier and much better behaved (didn’t realise before how this was impacting his behaviour) we can now say visiting spire and getting the professional help has made such a difference to our lives. We can go out for long trips and spend time together as a family without worrying where the nearest toilet is or having to take lots of spare clothes!

Thanks so much.

I am so grateful to Dr Hii and Femi to carry out some tests on our 18 month old child. We were constantly being let down by our doctors and the hospitals regarding looking into what food allergy or food intolerance our daughter had, and it was causing her to have flare ups of her skin, constant diarrhoea for months and months, and bloating/wind. From the moment I first spoke to Femi on the phone, he has been very professional and guiding us step by step through the process they were going to do to find out the problem. 3 days later we were seen by Dr Hii and Femi at the clinic, straight away they put us at ease and I know our daughter was in the best hands. We found out lots of good information and at the moment are eliminating dairy and soya from her diet, and already only a few days later there is a huge improvement.

So thank you to Femi and Dr Hii – my only regret is we should of made an appointment to see you sooner, so this would of been sorted a long time ago!

“My daughter was suffering abdominal pain constantly. This was making her tired, grumpy and not at all herself.

We tried everything we could think but nothing was working. At one point it was so bad we took her to the hospital as she was crying from the pain. They didn’t know the cause and brushed it aside as a UTI.

After almost a year of pain we requested the help of Dr Hii. In just a few tests, we discovered she was having difficulty processing Fructose.

We started her on a low Fructose diet, which wasn’t as hard as we expected.

After two weeks of Fructose free she came into my bedroom and hugged me, the biggest smile on her face. She told me the pain was gone. She became happy again.

We followed the diet and gradually added Fructose items back in to help find where her intolerance levels were.

She knows almost instantly if it’s a bad food by pain, but it’s a pain that goes as soon as she stops eating it.

She now manages her own diet and is the happy girl she used to be.”

I have to say it has all been a massive relief. It’s been nearly three years that Henry has felt unwell to varying degrees. I thought it was diet related but never even thought it could be a sugar! The breath test was so conclusive it was such a positive piece of information for Henry to see and try to understand fructose malabsorption. We’ve done lots of reading and tried a few things since the elimination diet and it’s clear there are some foods that really react. It was unclear in the past because there seems to be a delay and that’s why we couldn’t work it out.

When he gave up wheat he knew after three weeks it wasn’t that. This time after 5 weeks he’s personally very careful! I can tell he’s feeling better. The most important thing is that the acid reflux trouble has gone and there’s no medication involved!

Thank you, Femi and Dr Hii, this has been a long journey, sometimes frustrating but the testing has been so worth it! Look forward to meeting the dietician!

Best wishes

Dr Hii has been very thorough and it has been good to try and get to the bottom of Alex’s problems after we had hit a wall with the GP. We were able to ask any questions and to make decisions about treatment.

Femi has been brilliant as he is so good with children and always available to answer questions and let Alex know what to expect when taking blood or during his endoscopy and ph study. The care at the hospital was excellent when Alex was a day patient, and Dr Hii made sure to come and see us after the procedure. Femi provided excellent care and made sure Alex was reassured and knew what was going to happen. Alex was especially pleased with his post-procedure chocolate bar!

Through a process of elimination, Dr Hii has helped us to rule out lots of possible causes, and we are now trying a dairy and soya free elimination diet which seems to be working for the gastro symptoms, it is great to see Alex feeling much better.

I took my baby to see the gut clinic following concerns about constant irritability, poor weight gain, loose nappies and some enlarged lymph nodes. After seeing Dr Hii we were sent for some bloods done by Femi and stool tests which came back reassuringly normal.

We were trialled on Ranitidine incase there was an element of reflux and I was told to go dairy free as it was possible my son had CMPA. We also trialled special formula at night to see if this helped.

Unfortunately, although his weight improved the irritability didn’t. We had reassuring follow up with the team who were fantastic but it wasn’t until he turned 6 months that things improved. I wonder whether he just needed time for his gut to mature and start weaning for the irritability to settle.

I think it’s tough being a first time mum and potentially over medicalising a healthy child but I appreciate the support provided by the team, the reassuring investigations and the ease of accessibility.

My son had been suffering with various gastric, reflux and eczema symptoms from birth and with various diagnoses and diets we couldn’t isolate the cause.

After 2 years of going back and forth with NHS GP’s and dietary service we could not get a definitive answer, the stress and anxiety of not knowing outweighed the relatively low cost of paying for private help.

Dr Hii and his team are great, they were very thorough, taking note of any little symptom, recommending various diets, running allergy testing and other blood tests to eliminate causes. I’m now happy to say my sons skin has cleared up, he sleeps well, no longer complains of tummy ache and has healthy toilet habits after the diagnoses of a delayed dairy and soya allergy.

I have recommended friends with similar issues to do the same, as we have been given an answer in under 8 weeks which had been waiting over 2 years for.

“We approached the PGIC for advice as our five year old son was experiencing unexplained abdominal pain. Initially I spoke at length to Femi on the phone and he was knowledgeable and reassuring. After a consultation with Dr Hii we had an appointment for skin prick allergy testing which gave a positive result for a wheat allergy. We were advised to put our son on a wheat-free diet and after 48h his symptoms improved and after four days he was pain free. Throughout the diagnosis and follow-up Femi was brilliant, always answering my many questions promptly whether in person, by phone or by email. He also has a lovely manner with children and I’d happily recommend the clinic to anyone who’s child is experiencing similar issues”.

Thanks

We are very grateful to Michael and Femi for their speedy testing, diagnosis and treatment of our son’s condition over this past year. We were very worried parents before we came along to the unit, but they were both able to immediately reassure us and offered lots of practical advice as well as their medical expertise!

It was a difficult time for our son because he was revising for his GCSE’s and we were initially worried that he would not be able to cope with them. Because of their care he felt so much more informed and in control, and we are pleased to say that his exams went well.

With thanks and gratitude,

“My daughter was seen by the paediatric gut investigation team following symptoms of diarrhoea, sickness and tummy pain.  She was seen immediately, had follow up tests within a couple of weeks and a diagnosis was understood.  Florence now has to follow a diet excluding fructose which does have challenges but has improved her symptoms drastically.  I have a little girl who is not longer in pain on a daily basis and is barely symptomatic for the first time in two years.  This is solely down to the excellent care and experience of the team who treated her Mr Hii and Femi Omowo, both of which I cannot thank enough”

“Femi was really fantastic at making sure both we and Archie were relaxed and happy, and he didn’t even notice the blood being taken once the magic numbing cream had done its job! Having an older child who is scared of needles, this made such a difference to us and I feel confident that Archie will be able to engage with anything like this that is necessary in the future due to his positive experience.

Thank you Femi!”

Thanks so much for looking after Lula yesterday during her Hydrogen Breath Test and blood tests. Lula has previously fainted after having a blood test and so is quite nervous about having them, however, you were very kind and reassuring to her which made the blood test a lot easier. She also really liked you and being able to watch the Boss Baby film whilst having the Hydrogen Breath Test all really helped with her anxiety.

Thanks again.

We are very grateful for Michael and Femi’s excellent care. It is very stressful for parents when your child is undergoing various tests and we felt they were not only looking after our little girl but also our family.

They kept us up to speed with progress and made a difficult process far smoother than we thought it would be.

Thanks again

All the staff were very helpful and gave me all the explanations I needed. They also answered any questions or worries I had. The tests have helped me and the nurse Femi has been especially fun and nice.