Endocrinology Research

The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health℠, led by Perrin White, M.D., is committed to improving the health of infants, children and adolescents by providing quality clinical services, furthering the understanding of endocrinologic disease through original research and participating in the education of physicians at all levels of training.

Patient Care Highlights

The Endocrinology Division has a full-service outpatient facility offering state-of-the-art diagnosis, treatment and management of endocrine disorders. We serve a diverse population of children ranging from birth to 18 years of age residing in North Central Texas and the surrounding areas.

Each year, we diagnose and treat 250 – 275 NEW DIABETIC PATIENTS and have approximately 12,000–13,000 OUTPATIENT CLINIC VISITS for both diabetes and endocrinologic conditions.

Diabetes Clinic - One of only four pediatric programs in Texas certified by the American Diabetes Association, our Diabetes Education Program provides a comprehensive bilingual education program for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The certified diabetes educators – experts in nutrition, medication and medical care – provide an individualized self-management education program for patients and families.

Comprehensive Childhood Obesity Program - Each year we help more than 2,000 kids work toward a healthy weight at our Center for Obesity and its Consequences in Health (COACH) clinic, the only comprehensive program for childhood obesity in North Texas.

Endocrine Clinic - We are a major referral center for the Texas Department of Health Newborn Screening Program for congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. We offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment of infants, children and adolescents in all areas of pediatric endocrinology, including disorders of growth, puberty and sexual development.

Clinical Research Highlights

Research in the Division is varied and includes single-center and multicenter projects in areas including novel treatments for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, improving care and psychosocial support of young children with type 1 diabetes, the role of adipose tissue inflammation in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and many sponsored studies in the areas of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and growth disorders.

Education Highlights

Pediatric endocrinology faculty are committed to physician education and training, and they also administer a postdoctoral fellowship program accepting two fellows per year. Pediatric residents and medical students are actively involved in the care of hospitalized patients with diabetes and endocrinologic diseases.

A month-long elective, outpatient rotation is offered, as well as the opportunity to spend time as medical staff at a summer residential diabetes camp.

Gender Dysphoria Research

Research Mission:

Increase understanding of the health and development of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria and their families
Improve healthcare services for gender dysphoria

Study:

"Psychological and Medical Prospective Monitoring of Children and Adolescents Referred for Gender Dysphoria to a Multidisciplinary Care Center"

Why is this study being done?
This study is being done to gather information and monitor safety and psychological adjustment to hormone therapy, when used to temporarily postpone the time when a young person’s body begins to develop into an adult (puberty), or when hormone therapy is used to make a person’s body look more like a male (masculinize) or more like a female (feminize).

These are treatment options for a condition that causes distress when your body doesn’t match the gender you feel you are (gender dysphoria). If you are a patient in our program, you will be invited to participate in this study. Participation is voluntary, and you will still receive the highest standard of care even if you decide not to participate.