Treatments and Tests at The Children's Hospital

Doctors use a variety of tests to diagnose possible endocrine, growth and metabolism conditions in children. These tests are also often used on an ongoing basis in your child's follow-up care and serve as a foundation in the excellent diabetes, endocrine and growth care provided at The Children's Hospital. 

As a parent, it is important for you to know that our doctors, nurses and technicians are specially trained to explain these procedures to your child and help him feel as comfortable as possible during their tests.  It is also important that our equipment is designed to fit the various sizes of the children we treat.  This means our testing is accurate and as comfortable as possible. The Children's Hospital uses the most advanced diagnostic technology and procedures to accurately identify abnormal conditions.

Endocrine Diagnostic Tests Performed May Include:

• Adrenal Gland Function Testing
• Skin Biopsy
• Blood tests
• Body composition
• Bone density determination
• Bone age assessment (X-ray)
• Growth Hormone Secretion Test
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Nutritional assessment
• Stimulation and suppression tests

Additional comprehensive evaluations which may be ordered:

• Investigation of causes of short stature
• Evaluation of endocrine causes of hypertension
• Diagnostic testing for diabetes insipidus
• Diagnostic studies of hirsutism
• Diagnostic testing for Cushing's syndrome
• Measurement of integrated GH, cortisol and insulin concentrations
• Diagnostic studies of puberty

Common Endocrine, Growth and Metabolism Treatments at The Children's Hospital

The Children's Hospital offers a range of specialized services to support physicians' efforts to evaluate and manage patients with endocrine disorders, including growth problems and diabetes control. In partnership with the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, patients are treated using a comprehensive team approach.

Drug and Hormone Therapy Options May Include:

• Therapy for Isolated growth hormone deficiency
• therapy for hypopituitarism hormone
• Therapy for Thyroid disorders
• Therapy for Pubertal disorders
• Therapy for Adrenal disorders
• Therapy for osteoporosis
• Therapy for insulin resistance obesity-related disorders

Most new patients can be diagnosed and treated on an outpatient basis. For children newly diagnosed with diabetes, a brief hospital stay is usually recommended to initiate therapy and to provide proper education for the patients and parents. For many endocrine-related diseases, properly managing the condition can reduce any negative effects. The Children's Hospital provides complete services for treating and managing endocrine diseases and disorders. Our program also includes educational group sessions for patients and their families, nutritional and psychological support.  Surgery is sometimes required to correct overactive hormonal disorders.