Chelsea Lepus, DO (doctor of osteopathic medicine), is a pediatric gastroenterologist and says she knew from a young age that she wanted to become a physician.
“Around third grade, I said I wanted to be a pediatrician and that was it. I loved my own pediatrician, and came to love science and working with kids because they are resilient,” Dr. Lepus says.
She was drawn to gastroenterology partly because of her interest in nutrition.
“When I was in medical school, I participated in a program called Growing Healthy Kids, where we provided nutrition education to low-income preschool families,” Dr. Lepus says. “I later started a similar program where we also did cooking classes for families. A family-centered approach is essential in pediatrics and working on nutrition early allows us to impart education so kids can have healthy habits from the start.”
Dr. Lepus specializes in intestinal rehabilitation, which is needed for any patient who has intestinal failure due to a condition such as short bowel syndrome that depends on IV nutrition to support growth.
Intestinal rehabilitation entails gradually restoring the intestine’s ability to digest food and nutrients. This is achieved through diet, medication, and sometimes surgery and requires a team approach, including physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, as well as occupational and speech therapists.
“Each patient is unique and I enjoy individualizing the care they receive and developing a relationship with the family throughout the process of intestinal rehabilitation,” Dr. Lepus says.
Dr. Lepus also treats patients who have other feeding difficulties and require specialized feeding plans. “I love working with kids and watching them grow, from infancy to years later, and seeing how we can help their growth and development,” she says.
