The Children’s Approach to Bariatric Surgery
At Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we know that working together as a team ensures longer-term success. That’s why we offer support that covers medical, psychological and surgical treatment options for teens who are ready to take steps toward weight loss.
Our family-centered, motivational approach begins with a full medical evaluation to gather details on:
- Weight-related illnesses
- Nutrition concerns
- Physical activity levels
- Mental health support needs
How is Children’s approach to bariatric surgery different?
Our team is equipped in an extra-special way to understand and handle teens and their weight concerns. And because we’re Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, you’ll find yourself surrounded by professionals who offer your family warm, encouraging support.
Our Strong4Life Clinic Bariatric Program is a leading bariatric program for teens in Georgia under the direction of a skilled bariatric surgeon, a board-certified obesity-medicine pediatrician, a psychologist, a registered dietitian, an exercise physiologist and nurses all specializing in the treatment of pediatric and adolescent obesity.
Our areas of expertise are:
- Pediatric surgery
- Pediatric development
- Pediatric psychological support for emotional and mental needs
- Pediatric behavioral and educational training
At Children’s, we coordinate all areas of care—behavioral, educational and family support services—to cover all angles of the issues affecting your teen's health. Teens in our program will attend a minimum of 6 consecutive monthly visits prior to bariatric surgery and will learn skills and strategies to help them achieve success and better health before and after surgery.
During the pre-op period—which may last 6 to 9 months—teens will attend clinic monthly, work on accomplishing goals the team has helped set, attend support groups and complete all pre-op testing. Our goal is for your teen to be in the best medical condition possible when going into the operating room.
To get started, make an appointment with the Strong4Life Clinic.
Scheduling an appointment with the Strong4Life Clinic
To schedule an appointment with the Strong4Life Clinic, we need the following:
- A referral from the child's physician
- A new patient packet filled out by the caregiver
Fill out the new patient packet online or scan the QR code below to complete it on your mobile device.
Referral from your child's doctor
Please ask your child's doctor to fax your referral to 404-785-9111. It should include:
- Most recent clinic notes
- Most recent lab work results
- Growth charts
- Demographics
- Contact information
For general questions related to the Strong4Life Clinic, call 404-785-5437 or email Strong4LifeClinic@choa.org.
