Endocrinology

Endocrinology is a branch of medicine that treats hormones and metabolism. A pediatric endocrinologist works with kids who have endocrine diseases or issues with growth.

Endocrinology can help children who show signs of:

• Cerebral palsy.
• Epilepsy.
• Bone deformities.
• Chronic inflammation.
• Growth concerns or inconsistent growth patterns.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Juvenile arthritis.
• Osteogenesis imperfecta and other causes of frequent fractures and bone fragility.
• Prader-Willi syndrome.

For kids who have a history of taking certain anticonvulsants and steroids, and children who have gone for long periods of time with little or no movement—endocrinology services might help.

For some children who have growth disorders, endocrine treatment might involve:

• Addressing vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
• Changing medicines.
• Improvements in diet and nutrition.
• Weight-bearing activities to strengthen bones and improve balance.

An endocrine doctor works with your child, performing endocrinology tests to determine what types of treatment are most appropriate.

If your child needs support beyond lifestyle changes and medicines, we might prescribe additional medicines to reduce the amount of bone breakdown and improve other aspects of endocrine health.

To diagnose and monitor problems related to bone density, your child might benefit from dual-energy radiography absorptiometry (DXA) scans.