Photo of young girl wearing a diabetes patch.

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity

Arkansas Children's endocrinology team offers coordinated care for children with complex endocrine disorders, emphasizing empathy, education, and excellent clinical care.

We treat many children with diabetes and other conditions related to endocrine issues, including common and rare diseases involving the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands. At Arkansas Children's, our pediatric endocrinology doctors are experts in diagnosing and treating these conditions. Our team provides the most advanced care. Many of our doctors, nurses and staff are actively involved in research to improve care outcomes and find new treatments to help your child live a healthy life, especially those with chronic conditions.

Possible Conditions

Meet the Team

The specialty doctors and nurses at Arkansas Children’s are specifically trained to care for diabetes, obese and endocrine patients. We are experts at treating a wide range of pediatric diabetic and endocrine conditions. Our team provides your child with the most advanced treatment and is here to answer your questions.

Endocrinology Service Chief

Locations

Locations

At Arkansas Children's, our experts will discuss treatment options and develop the best care plan for your child.

Possible Treatments

  • Medication
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Growth Hormone Therapy
  • Exercise
  • Counseling
  • Surgery

What to expect at your first visit

When you and your child come to Arkansas Children’s, we may perform some tests to help us make a diagnosis and begin the proper treatment. Be sure to follow any instructions provided by your doctor or a member of our endocrinology team.

Some tests require your child to fast (no food or drink) before coming to the hospital, such as:

  • Growth Hormone Stimulation Test (AITT)
  • Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

Children coming to the Center for Obesity And its Consequences in Health (COACH) clinic may also need to fast for blood testing.

Your child may eat (no fasting required) before other tests, such as:

  • Low-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation study
  • High-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation study

A diabetes educator for Arkansas Children's, shares what families should have in their kits and offers tips for talking to teachers and school nurses.

Your doctor may order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test. We most often use MRI tests to evaluate children for:

  • Growth hormone deficiency
  • Central precocious puberty

Clinical Trials and Research

The pediatric endocrinology team at Arkansas Children's is actively involved in research to find the best treatments for diabetes and other pediatric endocrine conditions. Our doctors, nurses and other staff participate in local, national and global investigations of new and existing treatments. This means your child has access to the most advanced care available, including the chance to participate in clinical trials when appropriate.

We work with TrialNet, an international network of universities, medical centers, doctors, scientists and healthcare teams, to research and innovate ways to prevent Type 1 diabetes. TrialNet provides:

  • Risk screening for relatives of people with Type 1 diabetes
  • Clinical studies to preserve insulin production

Industry-Sponsored Studies

Investigator-Initiated Studies

Our doctors are preparing to launch multiple corporate studies that will expose our patients and families to more cutting-edge therapies. They include:

  • Growth hormone studies. Michele Hutchison, M.D., is leading several studies related to growth hormone deficiency and using growth hormone to treat endocrine conditions. Several doctors are
  • Type 2 diabetes. Michele Hutchison, M.D., is leading several studies related to care and treatments for children with Type 2 diabetes.
  • Fatty liver disease. Emir Tas, M.D., has received funding through the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute to study the relationship of FG-21 and fatty liver disease. The goal is to find ways to more closely and accurately monitor the disease process. Fatty liver disease is very common and considered a significant issue given it may be the leading cause of cirrhosis by 2030.

Video: Back-to-school considerations for diabetes

Watch as Morgan Butler, a diabetes educator for Arkansas Children's, shares what families should have in their kits and offers tips for talking to teachers and school nurses.

Watch Now

Helpful Resources

Use these resources to help your child live well with diabetes and pediatric endocrine conditions.

Video: Back-to-school considerations for diabetes

Watch as Morgan Butler, a diabetes educator for Arkansas Children's, shares what families should have in their kits and offers tips for talking to teachers and school nurses.

Watch Now

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