Dr. Mark R Corkins MD
Gastroenterologist (Pediatric) | Pediatric Gastroenterology
51 N Dunlap St 400 Memhpis TN, 38105About
Dr. Mark Corkins is a pediatric gastroenterologist practicing in Memphis, TN. Dr. Corkins specializes in digestive system, liver or nutritional problems in children from the newborn period to their teens. Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, chronic constipation or obesity can all be treated by a pediatric gastroenterologist.
Education and Training
Univ of Mo, Columbia Sch of Med, Columbia Mo 1989
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine 1989
Board Certification
Pediatric Gastroenterology (Pediatrics)
PediatricsAmerican Board of PediatricsABP
Provider Details
Dr. Mark R Corkins MD's Expert Contributions
Can IBD be cured?
Not at this time. We have great treatments and talk about remission; you have the disease, but the medical therapy keeps it in control. But so far, no cure. Lots of research is going on and we know more about the disease now than we did several years ago. Who knows what we’ll see in the future. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
What are the treatment options for diarrhea?
There are no direct treatment options for the viruses that normally cause diarrhea. The treatments are to continue to eat what feels comfortable and drink plenty of fluids, avoiding sugary or carbonated beverages. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
How to help my son's constipation?
If it has only been three days, most would advise trying an over-the-counter stool softener first. Obviously if it is ongoing problem, his doctor should see him. However, occasional constipation is common and usually linked to diet or change in routine (like the start of school). Mark R. Corkins, M.D., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
What is the best way to relieve constipation?
The easiest way to deal with constipation is to have a diet with a good fiber intake. The recommended daily intake for fruits and vegetables is a combined 5 servings a day. Adequate water intake is essential as well and regular exercise helps improve the motility. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Do I have appendicitis?
No, you don’t have an appendicitis. The piece of candy will have melted away long before it gets to the appendix. Appendicitis is not a chronic condition. If you have appendicitis, it progresses until it ruptures. If that happens, your symptoms would be so bad you would know you needed to go the hospital. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
What would make a child's navel sore?
The most common cause of navel soreness is due to "playing" with it. Children like to explore and stick things into body openings. It takes some resulting discomfort for them to learn that this is not a good idea usually. Mark R. Corkins, M.D. READ MORE
When should I be concerned about my toddler's nutrition?
At 13 months of age, your daughter should be starting to take table foods. This needs to be dealt with very quickly because this has lots of implications about long-term feeding issues. Simply put, yes, you should be concerned. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
What causes chronic constipation in children?
Constipation has a multitude of causes. Constipation can occur from some inherited issues to a very poor diet. In children, it often behavioral due to stool withholding. Of course, the therapy depends on the cause of the constipation. Sorry this is not a simple one answer, one treatment question. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Are there at home tests for celiac disease?
We perform endoscopies in infants regularly, so a 13-year-old is at a very low risk for an endoscopy. There is no home test, and the only gold standard test for celiac disease is an intestinal biopsy. Anyone who tells you differently is not in agreement with the current society recommendations. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Do children with celiac disease have issues with growth?
If they have untreated celiac disease, poor growth is very common. If a child is on the appropriate diet and asymptomatic, they should grow just fine. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
What's the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance?
Celiac disease is an actual immune process with antibodies that react to the gluten protein. Gluten intolerance (like lactose intolerance) is not an immune process. The body just does not digest the protein well. Although intolerance causes symptoms from the undigested protein causing problem in the lower bowel, since there is no immune reaction there is no tissue damage or inflammation that occurs. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Can kids really get heartburn?
I have a little bit of a slanted basis on this since I am a pediatric gastroenterologist, but we see this all the time. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Can not passing gas cause abdominal pain?
They could be. The only way to know for sure is to have him not withhold the gas and then monitor whether or not he has abdominal pain. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Are celiac disease and lactose intolerance related?
Not really. When your celiac disease is active, it wipes out your intestinal lining and can cause lactose intolerance because of that. That is temporary and on the diet the lining recovers and the enzymes come back. However, celiac disease is fairly common and lactose intolerance is very common. So, just by chance the odds stack up that some individuals are unlucky enough to have both. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
When should I introduce gluten to child's diet?
The latest literature indicates that waiting to introduce gluten doesn’t prevent developing a reaction, just delays it until later. You might as well go ahead and introduce gluten since you are currently doing all the work to avoid it when you currently don’t have to. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
Do kids need an endoscopy for celiac disease?
There is a very good blood test to screen for actual celiac disease. However, the definitive test to make the diagnosis is endoscopy with biopsy of the small intestine. Mark R. Corkins, M.D. READ MORE
Does dairy cause constipation?
Dairy products tend to be constipating. However, they are a great source of several nutrients that are low in other foods. The ideal diet is balanced with enough fruits and vegetables, which produce softer stools to counter balance the dairy intake. That is why the term used is a balanced diet. The appropriate diet would have the recommended amounts of dairy, but not too much with the other recommended foods in their recommended amounts. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
When is surgery needed for ulcerative colitis?
Surgery is usually the last option for ulcerative colitis. It is done when the patients don’t respond to medication and the disease is out of control. In this day and age, we have a lot of medication options, so rarely end up needing surgery during childhood. Mark R. Corkins, M.D., S.P.R., C.N.S.C., F.A.S.P.E.N., A.G.A.F., F.A.A.P. READ MORE
What's the best way to stop my baby's diarrhea?
The BRAT diet has never been shown to improve diarrhea. In fact, some experts think it would be better to feed through diarrhea. I'm going to be blunt: we don't want to stop diarrhea. The body has diarrhea for a reason usually to clear an infection or a toxin. Diarrhea is good because it clears these out. If this is an infectious illness it can last several days and then should improve. Studies have shown that slowing down diarrhea actually prolongs the length of the infection. Mark R. Corkins, M.D. READ MORE
Can dehydration be a cause of constipation?
Constipation is the result of lots of different factors. Part of it is taking enough water in to meet your bodies needs. The intestines will try to absorb as much water as possible if you take in enough and that leads to constipation. Food choices are also a big factor. Foods that are high in fiber (fruits and veggies) help keep some water in the intestines and result in softer stools. Mark R. Corkins, M.D. READ MORE
Expert Publications
Data provided by the National Library of Medicine- The transfection-induced overexpression of IGF-binding protein-4 affects the secretory activity of porcine ovarian granulosa cells and their response to hormones and IGF-I.
- Secretory activity of bovine ovarian granulosa cells transfected with sense and antisense insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-3 and the response to IGF-I, GH, LH, oxytocin and oestradiol.
- Accuracy of infant admission lengths.
- Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 expression is dependent on the carbohydrate in the media in HT-29 cells.
- Lactase deficiency: not more common in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease than in patients with chronic abdominal pain.
- Clinical quiz. Leiomyoma.
- Comparison of serological markers of inflammatory bowel disease with clinical diagnosis in children.
- Assessment of the effectiveness of biofeedback in children with dyssynergic defecation and recalcitrant constipation/encopresis: does home biofeedback improve long-term outcomes.
- Prebiotics: do they really change infant intestinal immunity?
- Are diet and constipation related in children?
- Fetal intestinal fibroblasts respond to insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II better than adult intestinal fibroblasts.
- Planning for Nutrition Week 2005.
- Cysteinyl leukotriene levels in esophageal mucosal biopsies of children with eosinophilic inflammation: are they all the same?
- Pediatric nutrition: growing up.
- Copper metabolism and pediatric cholestasis.
Awards
- Nutrition Support Physician of the Year 2007 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Treatments
- Crohn's Disease
- Constipation
- Gastritis
- Indigestion
- Malnutrition
- Pain
Professional Memberships
- N
- T
- A
Dr. Mark R Corkins MD's Practice location
Le Bonheur Children's
51 N Dunlap St 400 -Memhpis, TN 38105Get Direction
Practice At 705 Riley Hospital Dr Roc 4210
705 Riley Hospital Dr Roc 4210 -Indianapolis, IN 46202Get Direction
Dr. Mark R Corkins MD's reviews
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Probiotics May Not Relieve Constipation in ChildrenAccording to a new study published in the journal, Pediatrics, probiotics may not improve constipation in children more than any other dairy product that does not contain probiotics. This is different from the effect of probiotics in adults where it is supposed to give good relief from...
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Mesenteric Adenitis: Symptoms, Causes, and TreatmentIntroduction Mesenteric adenitis is the inflammation of the lymph nodes present in the mesentery, which is the membrane that attaches the small intestine to the abdominal cavity wall. It usually causes abdominal pain, especially in children and teenagers. Lymph nodes contain lymphocytes, which are...
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What Is Breast Milk Jaundice?Jaundice is a very common disorder in newborns. Actually, about 60% of infants experience jaundice within the initial days after birth. It develops when there is a high level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment released when the red blood cells are broken down.Normally,...
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In laparoscopic hernia repair, the surgeon makes a small incision in or just under your umbilicus and inserts a narrow tube to pump carbon dioxide into your abdomen. The gas lifts organs and other tissue, allowing a good view of your internal structures. The surgeon then inserts a telescope-like...
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Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, a tube-like extension attached to the large intestine. The appendix has no known function, but one thing for certain is that one can live without it with no apparent consequences.Appendicitis is a life and death kind of matter and should be treated...
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