Updates

Diabetes and Endocrinology

 Programs and Services

Programs

Our multidisciplinary team manages disorders of sexual development within an ethical framework and educates parents to assist them in making informed decisions.

The Genetic Disorders of Obesity Program (GDOP) was created to help provide answers to families who have children who have struggled with weight gain from a very early age (prior to 5 years of age).  For some of these children, their weight struggles may be due to changes in their genetic code (the DNA code that informs the body how to develop and function).

The Texas Children's Diabetes and Endocrine Care Center enjoys caring for teens with diabetes and endocrine conditions. In the future, teens will move from our pediatric center to an adult diabetes or endocrine doctor.

Pediatric Pre-diabetes

This program offers a comprehensive primary care approach to address the myriad of needs in pediatric prediabetes. More information about the Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center can be found here.

For Referring Providers

If you require additional support in managing and monitoring prediabetes, we request that you refer your patient through this formalized program dedicated to the treatment of prediabetes in youth starting March 1, 2022.  

To refer patients to the Prediabetes Program at the TCH Primary Care Practice, simply place a referral order in EPIC or through our online referral form for prediabetes to the TCH Diabetes and Endocrinology practice.  The referral will be rerouted to the Prediabetes Program at the TCH Primary Care Practice.  More information about the Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center can be found here.

Our endocrine services will continue to be available for patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, defined as:

a.       a fasting glucose > 126 mg/dL on two separate occasions with risk factors, or

b.       a hemoglobin A1c > 6.5% on two separate occasions with risk factors, or

c.       a 2-hour glucose of > 200 mg/dL upon oral glucose tolerance testing. 

For your reference, we have also included links to the following resources:

  • Prediabetes Algorithm - The algorithm for the management of prediabetes in children that will be utilized by the Prediabetes Program at the Texas Children’s Hospital Primary Care Practice at Palm Center can be found here.
  • Community Resources - A list of Weight Management Nutrition and Community Resources compiled by Texas Children’s Hospital can be found here.
  • Texas Children’s Hospital Obesity Programs - Texas Children’s has programs designed to support children and adolescents with obesity who do not meet criteria for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.  Please visit the obesity referrals page to review available programs and referral criteria or reference the Obesity Evidence Based Guidelines developed by a multi-disciplinary team at Texas Children’s Hospital.  
  • National Guidelines - National guidelines for the management of pediatric obesity were jointly published by the European Society of Endocrinology and the Pediatric Endocrine Society and are provided for your reference.

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet

If someone in your family has type 1 diabetes you may be at risk.

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet is an international network of 14 clinical centers – including Texas Children’s Hospital – and over 200 affiliates exploring ways to prevent, delay and reverse the progression of type 1 diabetes. In response to the Surgeon General's Report Healthy People 2000, TrialNet was established to address diabetes prevention as a national health objective. Through personal screening and monitoring processes, this network is committed to the study, prevention, and early treatment of type 1 diabetes.

About TrialNet

TrialNet TrialNet works with people who have a family member with type 1 diabetes and may be at risk for developing the disease, but do not yet have diabetes or a previous history of treatment for the disease. Eligible participants are tested for diabetes-related autoantibodies in the blood, which may be detectable in the blood many years before diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Since autoantibody status can change, especially in children with maturing immune systems, TrialNet offers screening annually for people up to 18 years of age.

Individuals who test positive for these autoantibodies while participating in TrialNet’s study are offered additional testing to help further determine their risk of developing type 1 diabetes. TrialNet notifies persons with negative diabetes-related test results with a letter in the mail in 4 to 6 weeks of the screening. Of the participants that are screened, 95% test negative.

If the test results are positive for one or more autoantibodies, the participant is notified via phone call from a member of TrialNet’s study team. For preventative purposes, TrialNet explains to the participant which autoantibodies were detected and what options are available. Participants can then opt to continue on to the monitoring portion of TrialNet’s study.

The monitoring portion includes a baseline monitoring visit at a TrialNet site to estimate the research participant’s level of risk of developing the chronic disease. Participants are followed-up either annually or semi-annually depending on their risk level. TrialNet will work with each research participant to fit his individual risk level. All participants, regardless of screening results, will be part of a research program that may help other people at risk for type 1 diabetes.