The following describes endocrinological conditions in children, including diabetes. For specific information regarding your child’s health and treatment options, please contact your Hurley physician or medical professional.

Hurley is the best in the region at treating infants and children with endocrine conditions, especially pediatric diabetes. 

Our dedicated team of specialists–a Pediatric Endocrinologist, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Registered Dietician–provides diagnosis, management, and extensive follow-up regarding all pediatric endocrine conditions, including diabetes, growth disorders, thyroid deficiencies, and multiple hormone disorders.

There are two main types of pediatric diabetes:

• Type 1
  • Type 1 Diabetes means that a person’s body produces little or no insulin.
  • Children with Type 1 Diabetes must take insulin every day and are often very sick, requiring hospitalization. They also need to be closely monitored, especially when using an insulin pump.
  • The majority of Hurley’s pediatric diabetes patients are Type 1.
  • Type 1 Diabetes is a difficult condition for the whole family as well as for the patient. Hurley’s pediatric endocrinology team recognizes this as they follow patients from diagnosis through their college years, offering emotional support as well as medical care. Our specialists also go into the community and visit local schools to educate students and school personnel about this lifelong chronic condition.

• Type 2
  • Type 2 Diabetes means that a person’s body makes insulin, but the insulin doesn’t work the way that it should.
  • Because of the increase in childhood obesity, more children are being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
  • Type 2 Diabetes can be managed by healthy eating, increasing activity, oral medications, and sometimes taking insulin.

Pediatric Diabetes Education Classes

Hurley Medical Center offers diabetes education for children during their appointments at the following three locations: 

Hurley West Campus
(Hurley Pediatric Specialist on duty)
1125 S. Linden Rd., Suite 500
Flint, MI 48532
(810) 262-2140

Hurley Children’s Clinic
806 Tuuri Place
Flint, MI 48503
(810) 262-9773

Grand Blanc Medical Center
8203 S. Saginaw St.
Grand Blanc, MI 48439
(810) 953-1699

Obesity and diabetes

The major reason children develop diabetes is because they are obese. Children who are obese are more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes, along with other problems. There are many ways to fight obesity and diabetes, including exercising, playing sports, eating healthy foods, managing weight, and adopting a healthy relationship to food.

Bariatric Surgery

If your child is morbidly obese or has other chronic weight-related conditions, one alternative is bariatric surgery. At the Hurley Bariatric Center, we recognize that weight loss surgery isn’t for everyone, and that each of our patients is unique with their own personal story and goals. That’s why our team of highly-skilled bariatric surgeons partner with patients of all ages to help them choose a custom-tailored plan that’s right for them for successful, sustained weight loss. We provide pre- and post-surgical emotional support, nutrition and exercise counseling, and all the information patients need to make this life-changing decision, as well as 24-hour post-surgical care by our expert surgeons and staff.

If you are interested in knowing more about bariatric surgery at the Hurley Bariatric Center, please click here to register for an FREE upcoming seminar, view the complete schedule of seminars, or to inquire about our surgical options.

Diabetes and metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes a number of risk factors specific to cardiovascular disease, and it significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and/or stroke.

Hurley Center for Health Outcomes

Hurley Center for Health Outcomes teaches people of all ages how to control and even prevent diabetes.

Patient- and Family-Centered Care

At Hurley Medical Center, we are committed to Patient and Family-Centered Care, a new way of providing healthcare. Hurley doctors, nurses, Certified Diabetes Educators, the patient, and the patient’s family become partners in managing the patient’s healthcare needs and treatment. Hurley pediatric endocrinology team encourages our young patients to take responsibility for their diabetes, empowering them to pay attention to their bodies’ needs and to make decisions about their medication doses as they grow and their activity levels change. The Hurley team also provides ongoing teaching, explaining the reasons for the medication and helping patients learn about themselves, their bodies, and their blood sugar.

• To learn more about diabetes, its symptoms, and how to manage it, click here.

• To take an interactive online quiz to determine your risk for diabetes, click here.

• To print out the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Risk Test to determine your risk for diabetes, click here for English or click here for Spanish.