Norton Children’s Hospital and the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation today announced the creation of the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute. A $15 million lead gift from the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation is the starting point of a $60 million vision to expand diabetes care for children and adults, as well as build…
Treating diabetes with food When it comes to managing diabetes, medications and insulin aren’t the only ways to help. Food can be an effective form of diabetes treatment, according to Morgan Kopka, RDN, L.D., a diabetes educator with Norton Children’s Endocrinology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. The latest research shows combining so-called “culinary medicine”…
For teens and young adults with diabetes and their families, the transition to adulthood can be both exciting and stressful. Some parents find it hard to transition management of their child’s care when for so long they have been used to managing their child’s chronic health condition. As they become adults, young people with diabetes…
Children with diabetes have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes have five times the rate of depression than adolescents without Type 1 diabetes. Impacts of depression and diabetes Depression coupled with diabetes can cause more hospital visits and an increased risk for complications due to a…
The cost of insulin keeps rising, making it difficult for diabetes patients to afford their lifesaving medication. Today, one vial of insulin, which manages a diabetic’s blood sugar, can cost hundreds of dollars, forcing many people with diabetes to pay exorbitant prices or even resort to rationing their doses in an attempt to manage their…
When a patient is newly diagnosed with diabetes, learning how to effectively manage their condition is a top priority at the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, part of Norton Children’s Endocrinology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. A support staff of dietitians, social workers, child life specialists, doctors and nurses provide a host of diabetes…
Many people spend family night having dinner or playing games, but for the Chrismans, family togetherness also involves glucose monitoring and changing insulin pumps. When their identical twin daughters, Quinby and Stella, were born, Natalie Chrisman and her husband, David, knew very little about Type 1 diabetes. There was no known family history of the disease….
Sometimes known as a “PKU test,” a genetic screening for newborns actually checks for a wide range of genetic disorders. PKU, an abbreviation for phenylketonuria, is a rare inherited disorder that causes the phenylalanine amino acid to build up in the body and can lead to brain damage. It’s caused by a genetic defect that…
A severe vitamin D deficiency in children can lead to rickets — a disease of the bones’ growth plates that can slow growth and deform bones. Sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D. Another source is vitamin D fortified milk. Some foods also have a small amount of naturally occurring vitamin D. “The overall…
Transgender children are more at risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts than their non-transgender peers, according to researchers. Social transitioning, or social gender affirmation, is a way for children to express their gender identity. Recent studies show that the mental health of transgender youth who get social affirmations of their gender identity is…
LGBTQ kids face a higher risk of discrimination, bullying, harassment and family rejection. For many, these burdens affect their health. “LGBTQ individuals often encounter more obstacles compared with their peers,” said Suzanne E. Kingery, M.D., pediatric endocrinologist with Norton Children’s Endocrinology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. “These things lead to poor health outcomes…
Since Louisville native and endocrinologist Kupper A. Wintergerst, M.D., arrived at Norton Children’s Hospital in 2006, he has expanded the endocrinology and diabetes program from a single physician and nurse practitioner to 10 physicians and seven nurse practitioners. The latest recognition of the transformation of Norton Children’s Endocrinology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine,…