Care of the Child With a Colostomy

Abstract

Colostomy in infancy and childhood is usually performed for benign disease and is of a temporary nature. The colostomy often may be functional for 12 to 18 months, however, and therefore requires skilled care by the patient and/or his parents. The purpose of this report is to describe a combined inpatient-outpatient program of colostomy care that has resulted in improved management of infants and children with colostomies. The physician, parent, nurse, and enterostomal therapist are all intimately involved in the program. It is further intended to acquaint the pediatric physician with complicating factors related to the procedure. Colostomies in children are frequently performed to relieve colonic obstructions resulting from congenital anomalies such as Hirschsprung's disease, colon atresia, and imperforate anus, and occasionally for pelvic and perineal tumors, Crohn's disease of the colon, and instances of rectal perforation.1,2