Overview
The glands in our endocrine system make chemicals called hormones that control nearly all of the processes in our bodies. Some hormones control how our bodies convert food to energy (metabolism), some hormones regulate our emotions and sleeping patterns, and others control how we grow and develop. When a child has an endocrine system disorder, they may experience growth problems, delayed or early puberty, calcium and bone disorders, thyroid and adrenal disease, and other issues. Diabetes mellitus is also an endocrine system disorder.
M Health Fairview Pediatrics’ endocrinology care has repeatedly been named among the Best Pediatric Endocrinology Programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Our knowledgeable, compassionate, and skilled specialists are dedicated to the management and treatment of problems of diabetes, growth, puberty, the thyroid, and other hormone systems. Our team works with children from birth through young adulthood and beyond to monitor and treat a range of endocrine-related conditions.
Our academic partnership with the University of Minnesota Medical School also means your child has access to the latest innovations in pediatric endocrinology care, including new treatments and techniques that may not be available anywhere else. Whatever help your child needs, we’re here by your side, every step of the way.
Our approach
We know that endocrine conditions affect organs and systems throughout the body. At M Health Fairview Masonic Childrens Hospital and our outpatient specialty clinics, our pediatric endocrinologists work alongside a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team of child-focused specialists to offer a wide range of care for your child, based on their unique needs. Our pediatric endocrinology program also intersects with many interdisciplinary programs focused on specific types of disorders.
Our pediatric endocrinologists offer comprehensive diabetes care and management for children with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Our physicians are also researchers advancing breakthrough methods and technology for prevention and treatment of these conditions. Our providers and clinical staff partner with the American Diabetes Association Camp Needlepoint and Daypoint to provide an opportunity for children with diabetes to attend summer camp.
Through the congenital adrenal hyperplasia and disorders of sex development program, expert healthcare professionals provide state-of-the-art patient-centered care, personalized therapy, and lifelong monitoring of children with these rare disorders. Our physicians are engaged in research to develop new treatment methods for this rare disease.
The chronic pancreatitis islet autotransplant program provides state-of-the-art patient-centered care for children with chronic pancreatitis. The total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplant procedure was developed and continues to be improved at M Health Fairview. This procedure treats painful chronic pancreatitis and attempts to preserve the function of the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas to prevent or delay progression to diabetes mellitus. Our providers continue to be involved in clinical research to advance the care of children with these rare disorders including new therapies and application of new technologies to preserve function of the islet cells and improve the quality of life.
The comprehensive pediatric bone health program provides patient- and family-focused care and offers access to the latest research studies focusing on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of bone diseases in children. This includes a multispecialty clinic focused on the care of children and adults with hypophosphatasia.
The thyroid program offers comprehensive multispecialty care for patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer.
The neuro-oncology program provides children and families with neurofibromatosis, pituitary, and brain tumors comprehensive medical care involving a multidisciplinary team including neuro-oncology, endocrinology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, and neuroradiology that work together to identify the best treatment and monitoring plan for each child.
The growth program offers comprehensive care for children with rare growth disorders including Russell-Silver, Noonan, cardiofaciocutaneous, Prader-Willi, Fanconi anemia and Turner syndromes. Children with growth disorders have access to clinical trials involving the latest growth therapies. In addition, our team is helping to define growth in rare disorders by developing new growth curves for Fanconi anemia and cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome. We also partner with our Genetics colleagues in providing care for children with skeletal dysplasias including achondroplasia through our multispecialty skeletal dysplasia clinic.
We are the leading site for the Lysosomal Disease Network, an international network of clinicians involved in clinical care and research involving rare disorders including the mucopolysaccharidoses. People with these rare disorders have access to specialists in many subspecialties familiar with the nuances of their conditions. Our team has helped define the natural history of growth, puberty, and bone health in children and young adults with these rare disorders.
We are the leading site for blood and marrow transplantation in children with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (c-ALD) in the country. X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is the most common cause of primary adrenal insufficiency in boys. Our comprehensive adrenoleukodystrophy clinic involves geneticists, genetic counselors, neurologists, neuroradiologists, endocrinologists and blood and marrow transplant experts. Children with X-ALD are often identified on newborn screening. Our multispecialty team has helped develop the protocols used internationally for monitoring for development of primary adrenal insufficiency and c-ALD and treatment of these conditions when they occur.
Our long-term cancer follow-up clinic cares for children and young adults after they have survived cancer and its treatment, including bone marrow transplantation. Endocrine disorders are the most common long-term complication of cancer and its treatment. Our endocrinologists are an integral part of this team.
At M Health Fairview Pediatrics, your child may also be eligible to participate in research that will help expand our understanding of how endocrine conditions work – and how they can be treated. Our patients have access to leading-edge research studies and investigational therapies for diabetes, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, growth problems, delayed or early puberty, disorders of sex development, calcium and bone disorders, thyroid and adrenal disease, and other endocrine problems.
M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital is the longest-running top-ranked children’s hospital in the Twin Cities. We combine comprehensive care, advanced medical minds, and caring hearts in a team approach with your child and your family at its center. Our team stands ready to give your child the brightest possible future.