Pediatric Endocrinology

Pediatric Endocrinology is the specialty that deals with hormone-related and growth problems in babies, children and adolescents. Pediatric endocrinologists diagnose and treat disorders of growth, puberty, thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, blood sugar and other hormone systems in children. What they do: Pediatric endocrinologists assess children with short or tall stature, delayed or early puberty, obesity, diabetes, thyroid swelling or dysfunction, excessive thirst and urination, and other hormonal problems. They interpret specialised blood tests and imaging of hormone glands, adjust hormone medicines such as insulin, thyroid hormone and growth hormone, and provide long-term follow-up and counselling for children and families. Common conditions treated: type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents, obesity with metabolic problems, short stature due to growth hormone deficiency or other causes, early puberty (precocious puberty) or delayed puberty, thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, goitre, congenital hypothyroidism), rickets and vitamin D/calcium disorders, adrenal and pituitary gland diseases, menstrual irregularities in adolescent girls including PCOS, hormonal problems in children with chronic illnesses or cancer therapy survivors. When to visit: if your child is significantly shorter or taller than peers or growth has slowed down, if there are signs of puberty too early or too late, if the child has weight gain with tiredness, snoring or acanthosis (darkening of neck/skin folds), if they pass urine very frequently, are always thirsty and losing weight (possible diabetes), if newborn screening suggests thyroid or other hormonal problems, if there is neck swelling (goitre) or other gland enlargement, or if advised by your paediatrician because of abnormal hormone test results. Diagnostic and treatment methods: careful growth measurement and plotting on growth charts, assessment of pubertal development, targeted blood and urine tests for hormones, blood sugar and lipids, dynamic hormone tests (stimulation/suppression tests) when needed, X-rays for bone age, ultrasound and MRI for thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands, insulin therapy and diabetes education for children and families, thyroid and other hormone replacement or suppression therapies, diet and lifestyle counselling for obesity and metabolic risk, treatment of rickets and calcium–vitamin D disorders, monitoring long-term complications and coordinating care with paediatricians, dietitians and other specialists.