ABSTRACTMany diseases in childhood present with symptoms resulting from the effects of those diseases on gut motility, including vomiting, colicky abdominal pain, ileus, constipation or diarrhoea. The control of gastrointestinal motility has been the subject of intensive research. It is now recognized that motility in the gastrointestinal tract is influenced by a complex range of factors, not only involving intestinal musculature, but also neural and humoral control. The development of techniques to measure motor activity in the gastrointestinal tract has increased our understanding of the pathophysiology of motor disorders. Manometric techniques are now available to study motility in pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, the biliary tract small and large intestine, and anorectum.The following discussion provides a background to the use of manometry in the study of motor disorders affecting the gut and will focus on the oesophagus and anorectum.