Includes specialty programs: Turner Syndrome Center / Thyroid Program
Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology
When it comes to treating diabetes and endocrine disorders in kids, Akron Children's Hospital ranks as one of the best among children's hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report. We have a team of board-certified pediatric endocrinologists, nurse practitioners and nurses who specialize in the care of children with growth, puberty, diabetes or other hormonal disorders. We are also recognized by the American Diabetes Association for Quality Self-Management Education.
Only one focus: kids.
If your child has problems with growth, puberty, diabetes or other disorders related to the hormones or the endocrine glands that produce them, we are here to help.
We understand the special needs of growing children. Hormone problems that affect growth or sexual development can have significant effects on a child's physical and emotional well-being. We have the specialized knowledge and experience in diagnosing, treating and managing hormone disorders at all stages of childhood and the teen years.
Conditions we treat.
Endocrine problems affecting children are often quite different from those commonly seen in adults. We specialize in conditions as they relate to a child's growth and development. These include:
- Adrenal disorders
- Ambiguous genitalia
- Diabetes
- Early or delayed puberty
- Growth problems, such as short stature
- Low blood pressure (hypoglycemia)
- Metabolism disorders
- Obesity caused by an endocrine imbalance
- Ovarian and testicular dysfunction
- Pituitary disorders
- Thyroid disease
- Thyroid nodules
- Thyroid cancer
We offer multi-disciplinary care of children with thyroid nodules and cancer, and specialized care of children with cystic fibrosis and Turner syndrome.
Shared medical appointments.
If you're concerned about the wait time until your next office visit, you may want to consider a shared medical appointment. Led by a physician, nurse educator or dietitian, these appointments are held in a group setting on the first and second Wednesday of each month.
We group patients by age and health concerns so we can better address a child's specific medical condition and provide you with the opportunity to connect with others with similar needs. We also complete lab work and refill medications. Physicals are conducted by a physician in a private room prior to the appointment.
Shared medical appointments last 90 minutes and typically provide patients and their families with more information than they would've received at a one-on-one appointment.
Locations
Contact Endocrinology
Akron Children's Hospital Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Akron
Considine Professional Building
215 West Bowery Street
Level 6
Akron, Ohio 44308
More about this location...
Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology, Boardman
Leonard J. Fisher Family Building
6505 Market Street, Building A
Boardman, Ohio 44512
Fax: 330-746-8047
More about this location...
Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Endocrinology, Boston Heights
Akron Children's Health Center
328 East Hines Hill Road
Suite 3
Boston Heights, Ohio 44236
More about this location...
Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology, Mansfield
Akron Children's Health Center
1029 South Trimble Road
Mansfield, Ohio 44906
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Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology, Medina
Akron Children's Health Center
3443 Medina Road
Door 1 (Suite 108)
Medina, Ohio 44256
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Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology, North Canton
6076 Whipple Avenue Northwest
North Canton, Ohio 44720
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Map & directions
Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology, Warren
Akron Children's Health Center
5000 East Market Street
Suite 29
Warren, Ohio 44484
More about this location...
Map & directions
Our Doctors/Providers
Medical Director, Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology; Pediatric Endocrinologist
Accepting New Patients
Ryan Heksch, MD
Pediatric Endocrinologist; Director, M & M Conference and Residency Teaching Elective
Natinder Saini, MD
Director, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Mahoning Valley; Pediatric Endocrinologist
Lisa Davis, MSN, APRN-CNP
Co-Director, Turner Syndrome Center; Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Danielle Dimengo, MS, RD, LD, CDE
Registered Dietitian
Specialty Programs
Open Clinical Studies
What Should Families Expect When They Come for an Appointment?
At Akron Children’s, your child’s health and safety is our priority. Please continue to bring your child for wellness visits, vaccinations or sick care appointments that keep children healthy. We want to assure you that we have taken additional precautions to ensure a safe environment for your child and family. The following are additional safety efforts, in addition to our normal cleaning protocols, that we are taking to help you be comfortable bringing your child to an appointment.
Masking and Other Safety Protocols
Akron Children’s has a number of safety protocols in place for our patients and visitors in order to provide a safe hospital environment.
Videos
Diabetes Camp 2022
NOTE: Registration is closed - camp is full. You will be notified by the end of April if you were accepted to attend.
Diabetes Camp will be held June 6-10, at Camp Y-Noah in Clinton, OH. Current patients with Type 1 diabetes who are age 9-14 (by June 6) are invited to attend. The cost is $200 for the 5-day overnight camp. Full or partial camperships are available depending on financial need.
To ensure camp is a safe and healthy place for everyone, campers and required to provide results of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to the first day of camp.
If you'd like to donate to the Diabetes Camp Fund, contact Brian Hollingsworth at 330-543-8340 or bhollingsworth@akronchildrens.org
Prediabetes FAQs
Pre-diabetes in children has doubled in the last 20 years. To learn what parents can do to reduce the risk of their child developing prediabetes, Dr. Naveen Uli, the medical director of the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at Akron Children’s Hospital, answers some questions about this alarming trend.
Why are cases increasing?
The primary driver is the increase in overweight and obese kids. Weight gain has gone up significantly over the last two decades in children.
What happens once a child develops diabetes?
Once a child develops full blown diabetes, that triggers a cascade of other organ involvement and other medical conditions, and that raises the risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and sleep apnea. So that’s really a cascade of health problems that are then lifelong.
What leads to the development of pre-diabetes?
Diet and inactivity are some primary causes. We have seen an increase in the total amount of calories consumed and the amount of empty calories consumed. And along with that, there is also the decrease in physical activity and increase in sedentary behaviors, like increased screen time. And so they’re consuming more calories than before on a daily basis, at the same time, their bodies are burning less calories and the net effect is that there is increased storage of calories and fat, which leads to weight gain. This puts a lot of stress on their pancreas, which is the source of insulin and is key to maintaining normal blood sugars. And the end result is that blood sugar starts going up.
Do kids’ and teens’ schedules play a role in the development of prediabetes?
It certainly matters. When there is breakdown in the schedule, there is eating on the go and more reliance on prepared, highly processed foods. Highly processed foods have less nutrients and are loaded with empty calories like sugars, fat and salt. Kids are also putting a lot of activities on their plates, and so sleep is decreasing. The effect is an increase in weight, and then that leads to the increase in their risk for prediabetes and diabetes.
How does screen time play a role in the development of prediabetes in kids?
A lot of education happens on the screen these days, and COVID has certainly affected this. Screen time has really gone through the roof as a result. And this was happening even before the pandemic, but the pandemic just made it worse. I think we have yet to see the effect of the pandemic in terms of the increase in obesity in children and what effect that has on their risk for diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and all those health consequences of increased weight gain.
What are some ways parents can prevent prediabetes in their kids?
Starting very early is really important. So whenever you take your child for a well visit, pay attention to the weight trends of your child. And also have the pediatrician plot the body mass index, which is a calculation of how the weight compares to the height. If that shows a rising trend very early on, that’s a clue that you should pay attention there and nip it in the bud very early. Because once the pounds are on the child, it is difficult to reverse that.
And of course, pay attention to your child’s schedule and eating habits. If you can, try to cook fresh vegetables, fruits, less processed foods, cut down on sugar-added drinks, the juices and sodas. Make sure your child gets at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. And then the screen time recommendation is to keep time under two hours.
Do you have questions about prediabetes, diabetes or your child’s health? Schedule an appointment with a pediatrician.
Some of the Conditions We Treat...
adrenal disorders, ambiguous genitalia, calcium and bone disorders, childhood obesity, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, cushing's syndrome, delayed puberty, diabetes, disorders of mineral metabolism, disorders of sexual development, growth disorders, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, marfan syndrome, metabolic bone disease, PKU, pancreatitis, parathyroid disorders, pheochromocytoma, precocious puberty, premature thelarche, short stature, thyroid disease, turner syndrome
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