4 Reasons Your Child Should Visit an Endocrinologist
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Endocrinologists are specialists who treat hormone-related issues. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), since still-developing kids have unique needs, they must see an endocrinologist who is sensitive to both the physical and emotional impacts of hormonal, growth, or puberty issues. Pediatric endocrinologists are trained to provide this kind of care to children and teenagers.
Some examples of conditions that pediatric endocrinologists treat include:
Growth- or weight-related issues
Early or late puberty
Gland disorders
Gender dysphoria requiring gender-affirming care for transgender and intersex kids
Rickets
While pediatric endocrinologists provide essential care, the AAP recognizes that referrals and tests on otherwise healthy kids are often made too frequently, especially for things like early puberty, excess weight, enlarged thyroid, and short height. Instead, they recommend careful evaluation and discussion between parents and health care providers to limit unnecessary tests.
A pediatric endocrinologist evaluation is likely a no-brainer if your child has a diagnosed issue, like one of those listed above. But what about when your kid has vague symptoms? Before you ask for a referral to a specialist, consider these issues in their context, says Benjamin U. Nwosu, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist in New Hyde Park, New York.
Read on for four scenarios that may warrant involving a pediatric endocrinologist.
1. B.O. in First Grade
Adult body odor in a child doesn't necessarily require treatment. However, since early activation of the adrenal glands usually causes body odor in kids, its presence can sometimes indicate precocious (early) puberty or congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic disorder whose mild form will not show symptoms at birth. So, telling a health care provider about it is a good idea.
If they don't see signs of early puberty, you may want to go to an endocrinologist to review the next steps.
RELATED: Teaching Your Child About Body Care
2. Growing Fast or Slowly
According to the World Health Organization growth chart, kids in the 50th percentile grow about 9 inches in their first year and another 5 inches by their second birthday. Between 5 years old and puberty, kids tend to grow 2 to 3 inches each year.
There is a wide variation in expected growth. Short-term lulls in growth or growth spurts are normal. But if your child keeps growing or doesn't grow at all for more than 10 months, ask your doctor for a referral to an endocrinologist. They may want to do tests for excess or deficient growth hormone and other disorders.
3. Being Underweight or Overweight
If your child is growing along the low percentiles on the growth chart, consider whether an outside factor may be contributing. For example, are they a picky eater? Or do they take a stimulant for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that can suppress appetite? Both of these situations can hinder typical weight gain. If that's not it, an endocrinologist may want to check for hyperthyroidism.
If your child has excess weight, evaluate if unbalanced nutrition or low activity level could be contributors. If not, your child's weight may be their natural body size. However, an endocrinologist may want to rule out conditions such as hypothyroidism.
When it comes to kids and weight, be mindful of the potential impact that weight-related stigma can have on your child's self-image. Weight-related stigma is culturally pervasive and can follow kids into adulthood. So, rather than focusing on their bodily appearance as a symptom of a problem, stay focused on other indicators that concern you, like their appetite or medication side effects.
RELATED: How to Talk To Kids About Body Image
4. Constant Thirst and Frequent Urination
If your child has these symptoms but is growing normally and at a healthy weight, they might have a urinary tract infection (UTI). Fortunately, a simple urine test can usually diagnose a UTI.
However, sometimes thirst and frequent peeing can indicate a chronic condition, like diabetes, especially if the following accompany these symptoms:
Excessive hunger
Blurred vision
Weight loss
Yeast infections
In that case, a health care provider might do a simple blood test to check for diabetes. If your child is diagnosed with diabetes, they may benefit from having their condition managed by an endocrinologist.
