Adrenal Clinic

Care During COVID-19

Our dedicated physicians, nurses and staff are committed to providing the best possible care for children. We have taken unprecedented steps to ensure office visits and procedures are welcoming and safe. Your child’s health and safety is our top priority. Learn more.

Overview

The Adrenal Clinic is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, education and support of patients with adrenal disorders via a multidisciplinary approach. We are dedicated to practicing evidence-based medicine to best treat your child while maximizing their health and development.

Diseases Treated

• Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)
• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
• Addison’s Disease
• Primary Adrenal insufficiency
• Secondary Adrenal insufficiency (ACTH deficiency)
• Cushing’s Disease or Syndrome
• Other adrenal disorders

About Our Clinic

We treat conditions related to the adrenal gland (including adrenal hormone deficiencies and adrenal hormone excesses), and we follow the most updated guidelines for management and treatment. We deeply value a patient and family-centered approach and strive to provide compassionate and evidence-based care. We have specialists experienced in treating many rare conditions, including congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and Cushing’s disease.

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH): We are a referral center for CAH, which is usually diagnosed with a newborn genetic screening test, and we care for children with CAH from infancy through young adulthood. We collaborate with Genetics, Pediatric Urology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Social Services to help children with this disorder reach their full potential. When children reach young adulthood, we offer a smooth transition to experienced adult endocrinologists and similar multidisciplinary adult care.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD): We work closely with physician investigators in Pediatric Neurology who are performing cutting-edge research to best care for and treat children with ALD. As Massachusetts is now a pilot state to screen for ALD on the newborn screen, we are fortunate to meet your child early and work to prevent a life-threatening adrenal crisis.

We work closely with the world-renowned Proton Beam Radiation Center (one of the largest centers in the world) to care for children who develop pituitary hormone deficiencies (including ACTH deficiency leading to adrenal insufficiency) before or following treatment of intracranial tumors.

For our patients with Cushing’s disease causing cortisol excess, we work closely with our neurosurgical team, internationally known for treatment of pituitary Cushing’s disease with minimally invasive transsphenoidal surgery and with our Proton Beam Radiation Center for radiation therapy (when this is necessary). For management of adrenal tumors causing cortisol excess, we work closely with our endocrine surgical team.

For our patients with cortisol excess, we also have a special weekly conference where many providers come together including pediatric and adult endocrinologists, pituitary neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, a neurologist and psychiatrist to discuss the best care for your child.

Our Services

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Pediatric Neurology
• Medical Genetics, genetic counseling
• Reproductive Endocrinology

• Pediatric Neurosurgery
• Proton Beam Radiation

• Neuropsychology (pediatric and adult)

• General Pediatrics

• Social Services

Patient Resources

View the full collection of patient resources from the Pediatric Adrenal Disorders Clinic at MGfC.

Meet the Team

• Swathi Sethuram, MD

  • Assistant in Pediatrics
    Co-Director, Adrenal Clinic

• Lynne Levitsky, MD

  • Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
  • Co-Director, Turner Syndrome Clinic
• Madhusmita Misra, MD, MPH

  • Division Chief, Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Fritz Bradley Talbot and Nathan Bill Talbot Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
• Takara Stanley, MD

  • Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
  • Assistant Pediatrician, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Program Director, Pediatric Endocrine Fellowship Program, MGHfC