What’s a person to do after visiting the pediatrician/general practitioner, urologist, and gastroenterologist, and nothing seems to be working? You can start a bowel program on your own (with the help of your “poop group“). But if you want specialized medical care and quick, effective results, we now have access to a growing number of Bowel Management “Bootcamps” across the country. Most are 7-10 day outpatient intensive programs that include patient education, contrast enema, visits with specialty doctors and nurses, and daily X-rays to see how well the program is working. Most patients leave the program completely or nearly completely continent for stool. It can be quite an investment of time and money (travel costs, time off work), but you can’t argue with the results. Here’s a list of all the Bowel Management Bootcamps we know of in the United States.

Cincinnati Children’s Colorectal Center Bowel Management Program (Cincinnati, OH)

Nationwide Children’s Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Bowel Management Bootcamp (Columbus, OH)

Children’s Hospital Colorado International Center for Colorectal Care Bowel Management Week (Denver, CO)

Seattle Children’s Reconstructive Pelvic Medicine Bowel Management Treatment Program (Seattle, WA)

Cedars-Sinai Pediatric Bowel Management Program (Los Angeles, CA)

Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago CHAAMPS Bowel Management Program and CHAAMPS Camp (Chicago, IL)

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Colorectal Center for Children (Pittsburgh, PA)

Children’s of Alabama Pediatric Colorectal Clinic (Birmingham, AL)

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Pelvic and Anorectal Care Program Bowel Management Booty Camp (Atlanta, GA)

Nemours Urology Continence Clinic (Jacksonville, FL) is not a bootcamp but provides continence care.

If you know of other bowel bootcamps knowledgeable about Spina Bifida, please let us know in the comments!

Next: Preparing Your Child for a Bowel Management Program