The Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit engages in activities related to hormonal disorders, diabetes mellitus and obesity in children. This full-service unit consists of a Multi-Disciplinary Care Team of Israeli board-certified pediatric endocrinologists, dietician, diabetes nurse specialist, endocrine nurse, a clinical social worker, and a clinical psychologist.

The Endocrinology Unit offers the most modern diagnostic and therapeutic protocols for children and adolescents with a variety of hormone dysfunctions. We offer a multidisciplinary approach, in close association with other departments and sub specialists for evaluation, treatment and long-term management of complex endocrine problems in both an inpatient and outpatient framework.

The special interests and expertise of the unit include the following fields:

Diabetes
Our comprehensive diabetes care center specializes in intensive management of children with both type I, and type II Diabetes Mellitus.  Patients with diabetes and their families are provided with extensive teaching after diagnosis, including educational materials and one-on-one contact with certified diabetes educators, dietitians, and clinicians.  We provide 24-hour on-call coverage for all diabetic patients.

Children who are suitable candidates for Insulin Pump Therapy receive instruction and training as well as long-term support.

The diabetes unit also works closely with the Pediatric Pulmonary Disorders Unit and the Cystic Fibrosis Service in the management of patients with cystic fibrosis related diabetes.

Obesity
Our outpatient programs include a newly established Obesity Center.  Our physicians, dietitians, psychologist, and sport-educator provide thorough evaluation and longitudinal follow-up. We work closely with the Pediatric Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Disorders Department that specializes in eating disorders, and use their facilities for in-patient treatment when needed.

In addition to medical treatment, we have several workshops that match up children with similar backgrounds for support groups.  These workshops include:

• Dietary Education - The head of the Pediatric Nutrition Services, Mrs. Brigitte Kochavi, provides dietary education. The principles of healthy eating are taught as part of wider health education.  We use the "Traffic-Light Diet" and the "Low Glycemic Index Diet" along with adjustments to individual ethnic and family habits.  Furthermore, we incorporate behavior modification principles into the obesity treatment program.
• Physical Education Groups  - Mrs. Helit Talmor Sayag, graduate of Wingate Institute for Physical Activity and Sport, directs the physical education groups for children and adolescents with weight problems. Quality and structured physical activity with gradual sport activity are adjusted to the child's abilities, in a non-competitive and supportive environment.
• Community Theatre Groups for Overweight Children - The goal of the theatre group is to improve the participant's self-confidence, posture, body movement and body language and their self-awareness. The theatre group provides an innovative framework where the children can convert the issues that they deal with on a daily basis into theatre material. The group is managed by a theatre director, Mrs. Natalie Shalom, from the Department of Theatre at the University of Tel Aviv, experienced in community theatre.
• Summer Camp  - Since 2002, we have organized a summer camp, providing children with an opportunity to lose weight, gain self-esteem and have fun in a stress-free environment.
• Support Line- Our program offers a confidential telephone hotline for children or their parents dealing with weight problems. We listen and help children and teens to cope with stressful situations.

Sexual Differentiation Disorders
We work in cooperation with the Perinatal Ultrasound Unit and the Genetics Institute.  We have recently established a paradigm for the prenatal evaluation of sexual differentiation disorders, and provide prenatal hormonal screening, diagnostic and genetic counseling services for couples with abnormal sexual differentiation.

Short Stature and Intra Uterine Growth Retardation
Newborn infants with intrauterine growth retardation are referred from the Neonatology Department to be followed in the Endocrine Unit. Neonates who do not achieve catch up growth are evaluated and treated.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Hemato-Oncology Patients
The Endocrine Service works closely with the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Unit, and the Neurosurgery Unit to provide long-term endocrine services to cancer survivors into their adulthood.

General Endocrinology
The entire spectrums of pediatric endocrine problems are managed within the Unit, including: Abnormal pubertal development, Hirsutism, Calcium Disorders, Growth Hormone Deficiency, Adrenal Disorders, Thyroid Diseases.

In addition, the clinical activities of the unit include:

• Undertaking various endocrine diagnostic testing procedures performed at the Day Care Unit. These tests are planned, supervised, and subsequently interpreted by the physicians within the unit.
• We have an active association with physicians in the community and coordinate joint weekly conferences and a program for clinical research.

Unit at a Glance
Number of Patients per Year - 1600
Director - Dr. Orit Pinhas-Hamiel Dr. Orit Pinhas-Hamiel, MD, was born in 1959.  She received her medical degree at Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University (1984). She was a Pediatric Endocrine Fellow at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio (1992-1995). She is certified by the Israeli Board of Pediatrics and by the Subspecialty Board of Pediatric Endocrinology.  Dr. Pinhas-Hamiel has been the director of the Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit of Sheba since 2002 and is also the head of the Juvenile Diabetes Clinic in Maccabi health care services. Dr. Pinhas-Hamiel is particularly interested in obesity, and associated comorbidities, specifically type-2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents, as well as Sexual Differentiation Disorders.
Address - The Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital
E-mail - Orit.Hamiel@sheba.health.gov.il
Tel - 972-3-530-5015