Bariatric Surgery Referral Guidelines

The Weight-Loss Surgery Program at Children’s National Hospital helps children and adolescents who are severely obese through surgical intervention coordinated with medical management in the IDEAL clinic, or in the patient’s primary medical home. While diet and behavior changes can help some children and adolescents, many of these patients go on to become obese adults. The efficacy of diet and behavioral changes can be strengthened in some patients with surgical procedures. Weight loss through bariatric surgery is one way to treat severe obesity by producing significant weight loss, correcting obesity-related medical conditions and improving self-image and socialization.

Children’s National is the only pediatric program in the region performing weight-loss surgery.