Patient Care

The General Endocrinology Program is committed to providing the highest level of comprehensive care for the full spectrum of pediatric endocrine disorders. To best serve our Twin Cities community, we offer clinics in Minneapolis, Woodbury, Burnsville, and Maple Grove throughout the week. We offer a monthly multi-specialty Brain Tumor Clinic to treat children with endocrine disorders related to malignant and benign brain tumors. Specialized endocrine testing is offered both at the University of Masonic Children's Hospital and Fairview Ridges Hospital. There are numerous research opportunities for patients and their families in the areas of childhood growth, pubertal development, and bone metabolism.

View our work:

Long-Acting Growth Hormone Preparations

The Pediatrics Diabetes Program is an American Diabetes Association accredited program, which follows approximately 350 patients, offers comprehensive diabetes services to children and adolescents with type 1, type 2, and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes and their families. A dedicated team with special expertise in children with diabetes is present during every clinic, and includes pediatric endocrinologists, diabetes nurse educators, dietitians who are Certified Diabetes Educators and a child psychologist. The team generally sees patients quarterly. Patients with poor diabetes control (Al c >9), or specific education needs may be seen more frequently.

Newly diagnosed diabetes patients receive intensive individual instruction in beginning diabetes skills; unless they are medically unstable or in ketoacidosis, this is usually done on an outpatient basis. Subsequently, during routine diabetes clinic visits, patients and their families receive ongoing one-on-one instruction. The diabetes team has created innovative, patient-friendly education programs for children with diabetes and their families. These programs can help children and their families live full, flexible lives while still making healthy choices. The strong psychosocial component of this program can be used to address and possibly prevent problems associated with issues that commonly emerge when living with a chronic disease. Endocrine fellows and residents are intimately involved in the diabetes management and education program. The diabetes team spends a week volunteering at Camp Needlepoint (diabetes camp) each summer.

Inpatients with diabetes are primarily seen at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, adjacent to the clinic building. Endocrine stimulation tests are performed in the Masonic Day Hospital, also adjacent to the clinic building.

Pediatric Diabetes Program Research Publication

Somali Diabetes Education Video Module Topics and their YouTube Links

The Center for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and Disorders of Sex Development (DSD), is a multidisciplinary clinical care and research facility that is built upon a unique collaboration between healthcare professionals at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and the Minnesota Department of Health Newborn Screening program (MDH-NBS). The Center addresses the varied and long-term spectrum of clinical needs for patients with CAH and other rare disorders of sex development:

• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
• Turner Syndrome
• Ambiguous Genitalia
• 5-Reductase Deficiency
• Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
• Gonadal Dysgenesis
• Kallmann Syndrome
• Klinefelter Syndrome
• Leydig Cell Hypoplasia
• Mayer, Rokitansky, Kuster, Hauser Syndrome
• Ovotesticular DSD
• Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome
• Sex-Chromosome Mosaicism
• Ovarian Failure
• Hypospadius
• Testosterone Synthesis Defects
• XX Testicular DSD

A typical visit may include one-on-one consultations with the following specialists:

• Pediatric Endocrinologist/Geneticist for evaluation/diagnosis of disorder; monitoring of disease control, growth, puberty, and other concerns; treatment options; and provide medical information about the disorder.
• Genetic Counselor who will obtain the family pedigree; provide genetic counseling; facilitate the collection of DNA testing; make plans to review and discuss the results at the next visit.
• Psychologist who specializes in disorders of sex development to assess the patient's and family's ability to cope with issues associated with the various disorders (which may include delayed puberty; gender issues; options for medical and surgical treatment).
• OB-GYN for evaluation, monitoring and treatment, if necessary.
• Nurse Practitioner who will explain and initiate the Emergency Medical Plan (including web based plan for physicians at other hospitals in case of emergency); provide additional material about the disorder and discuss any other concerns the patient or parent may have.
• Pediatric Urology Surgeon, if surgery is being considered.
• The patient and family meet with the team to review findings and recommendations. Ask questions and make a plan for follow-up.

Two weeks later:

• The patient and family receive a comprehensive clinic report, which includes recommendations of all of the specialists and health care professionals who saw the patient and family at the center.

Clinical research participation opportunities are available to eligible subjects for new monitoring and treatment modalities. The Center also serves as a resource for educational materials geared toward patients, parents and primary care providers.

Learn more about our research

View Tanner Stage Adjusted Height Manuscripts & Supplemental Files

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The Comprehensive Pediatric Bone Health Program is a team of specialists committed to the care of children with bone diseases. Our team includes physicians representing the fields of endocrinology, genetics, sports medicine, genetic counselors, dieticians, and care coordinators. Our goal is to provide comprehensive patient and family-focused care and offer access to the latest research studies. The program serves as an outpatient referral center for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of bone diseases in children:

• Calcium abnormalities (hypocalcemia, hypercalcemia, DiGeorge syndrome)
• Fibrous dysplasia
• Fractures
• Hypophosphatemia
• Low bone density
• Osteogenesis imperfecta
• Osteopetrosis
• Osteoporosis
• Parathyroid gland disorders (hypoparathyroidism, pseudohypoparathyroidism, hyperparathyroidism)
• Rickets
• Vitamin D deficiency or resistance
• Secondary conditions predisposing to low bone mineral density:
   
  • Bone marrow transplantation
  • Childhood cancer treatment
  • Neuromuscular diseases, including muscular dystrophy
  • Rheumatologic diseases
  • Long-term use of glucocorticoids

We recognize that childhood and adolescence are critical periods for bone mineralization and that early interventions are important to attain adequate bone density and mobility, and to prevent fractures. Evaluation may include blood and urine tests, genetic testing, including next generation sequencing, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and others, bone x-rays, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure bone mineral density. Treatment options may include dietary intervention, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, infusion of pamidronate or other bisphophonates, physical therapy, and orthopedic surgery. We also offer participation in research studies.