Your Child’s Adrenal and Puberty Center Appointment

Patients come to the Adrenal and Puberty Center for evaluation and second opinions. Most are referred to us by primary care pediatricians or specialists.

To schedule an appointment for your child, call the Division of Endocrinology at 215-590-3174.

Before your child’s appointment

Families should fax or mail relevant medical information ahead of time to:

Fax: 215-590-3053, ATTN: Adrenal and Puberty Center Coordinator

Mail: 3500 Civic Center Boulevard
Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes
7th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Information you should provide includes:

• Growth charts
• Recent labs/blood work
• Most recent Bone Age X-ray
• List of current medication names/dosages
• Progress notes from previous endocrinologist and/or referring physician
• Genetic testing results (if relevant)
• Immunization records
• Medical records from your child’s primary care provider and endocrinologist (if applicable)

Anything you can’t fax (like a CD of images) can be brought with you on the day of the appointment.

Once your child’s appointment is scheduled, we encourage you to contact your child’s insurance provider to obtain any referral paperwork or pre-authorizations needed.

Referrals need to be in place at the time of your child's appointment at CHOP or the visit may be delayed or rescheduled.

You will receive a reminder call one or two days before your child’s appointment. If you need to cancel your appointment, please give us 72 hours’ notice. Another family will be grateful for your time. Please call 215-590-3174 to cancel.

Day of appointment

The day of the appointment, please have your child dress in comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, such as shorts and a T-shirt. This allows the provider to examine your child more easily.

Please bring these items with you:

• All outside medical records that you were not able to fax or mail to us in advance.
• Referral paperwork.
• Any pre-authorization your insurance company may require.
• Co-pay or co-insurance for the visit. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-664-7855 or see Billing and Insurance.
• The name and phone number of your pharmacy.
• A parent or legal guardian must be present for all appointments. If you are a legal guardian, please bring proof of guardianship.
• All of the medications your child currently takes — including over-the-counter medications — in a bag. If you’d prefer to write a list of medications, we will need the medicine name, dosage, frequency, prescribing doctor, pharmacy name and phone number, as well as how long your child has been using this medication. Most families find it easier to toss everything in a bag and bring it along!

When you arrive

The Adrenal and Puberty Center is located within the Division of Endocrinology on the seventh floor of the Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care, on CHOP’s Main Campus. Parking can be validated for $4.00.

When you arrive for your child’s first visit, you will register your child with the front desk. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your child’s scheduled appointment so we can review all of your paperwork and ask any additional questions.

If you arrive late, you risk being seen later or having your appointment rescheduled. Please call us at 215-590-3174 if you are running late.

Your child’s examination

When your child’s name is called, you and your child will be escorted to a private examination room where a member of our clinical team will:

• Take a full medical history of your child, including any family history of illness.
• Perform a physical exam of your child.
• Discuss your child’s symptoms, what brings you to this visit, and possible next steps.
• Review your child's medications and allergies.

You will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s symptoms and ask questions.

Depending on your child’s condition, additional testing or outpatient procedures may be recommended. Some lab tests and radiology exams can be performed the same day; others will need to be scheduled.

Please also check with your insurance plan to make sure your child is permitted to have testing performed here. In some cases, a referral from your insurance company and/or a consultation with a Children's Hospital physician may be necessary.

Follow-up

After your child's visit, you will receive a visit summary form detailing your child’s examination, recommended next steps, and instructions for your child's care. A copy of the report will be sent to your child’s physician to ensure your child's care plan is well coordinated and communicated.

Follow-up appointments can be scheduled with your child’s regular provider. If necessary, additional follow-up can be scheduled with the endocrinologist.