Craig Alter, MD

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Craig Alter, MD, is a pediatric endocrinologist and Director of the Neuroendocrine Center in the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He holds the Thomas Moshang Endowed Chair in Endocrinology.

Areas of Expertise: CNS Hamartoma, Craniopharyngioma, Diabetes, Germinoma, Growth disorders, Kallmann Syndrome, Neuroendocrinology, Pituitary disorders, Post-cancer endocrinopathy, Pubertal disorders, Rathke Cleft cyst, Thyroid disease and abnormal puberty, Tumors of the hypothalamus/pituitary/pineal region
Locations: Specialty Care & Surgery Center, Bucks County; Specialty Care, Abington; Main Hospital

Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)


Background

Craig A. Alter, MD, is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and recipient of the Thomas Moshang Jr Endowed Chair of Pediatrics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  He was been elected as a Director of the Pediatric Endocrine Society. He was named "Master Clinician" at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Alter was the recipient of the 2011 University of Pennsylvania Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

Dr. Alter completed his undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated summa cum laude with majors in Mathematics, Chemistry, and a minor in French. He attended Harvard Medical School in a joint program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he graduated with honors. He completed his residency at Harvard’s Boston Children’s Hospital before his fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. As a fellow, he was awarded Fellow Teacher of the Year.

Following his fellowship, he joined the faculty of the University of Massachusetts where was awarded the Faculty Teaching Award and where he developed the Diabetes Center for Children.  In 1999, Dr. Alter returned to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and developed the satellite and outreach programs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After serving as Medical Director of the Clara Barton Diabetes Camp, he founded Philadelphia’s only diabetes camp (Camp Freedom) in 2001.

Dr. Alter’s clinical and research focus is on Neuroendocrinology where he serves as Director of the Neuroendocrine Center. He continues to lecture nationally on disorders of the pituitary gland and diabetes insipidus. 

Dr. Alter’s interests included diabetes insipidus, disorders of the pituitary, panhypopituitarism, prolactinoma, pituitary tumors, growth disorders, disorders of puberty, gynecomastia, Turner Syndrome, and thyroid disorders.  In his role as Director of the Pituitary Center, he works closely with Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncology, and Neuroradiology. Dr. Alter is a renowned speaker in pediatric endocrinology at national and international pediatric endocrinology conferences.  He also has written several “Medical Mystery” columns in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Internship

Pediatrics - Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA

Residency

Pediatrics - Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA

Fellowship

Pediatric Endocrinology - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Research Fellow in Endocrinology and Pathology - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

Board Certification

Pediatric Endocrinology – American Board of Pediatrics

Titles and Academic Titles

Attending Physician

Director, Neuroendocrine Center

Thomas Moshang Jr. Endowed Chair, Endocrinology

Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Departments and Services

Publications

Papers

2016

Grimberg A et al. Guidelines for Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Treatment in Children and Adolescents: Growth Hormone Deficiency, Idiopathic Short Stature, and Primary Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Deficiency. Horm Res Paediatr. 86(6):361-397, 2016.

Vogiatzi M, Oberfield S, Alter C.  Menstrual Bleeding as Manifestation of Mini-Puberty in Infancy in Severe Prematurity: a Case Report.  Journal of Pediatrics. 178:292-295, 2016 Nov.

2015

Brown RS, Alter C, Sedeghi A. Severe Unsuspected Maternal Hypothyroidism Discovered after the Diagnosis of Thyrotropin Receptor Blocking Antibody-Induced Congenital  Hypothyroidism in the Neonate: Failure to Recognize and Implications to the Fetus.  Horm Res Paediatr 2015;83:132-135.

2011

Danzig J, Moser J, Bellfield P, Alter C.  G6PD and HgbA1c, J Pediatr. 2011 May;158(5):849-51.

2009

Riddick L, Alter C, Davis, Davis D.A., Frane J, Lippe B, and Bakker B.  A Stepwise Increase in Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Dosing During Puberty Achieves Improved  Pubertal Growth:  A National Cooperative Growth Study Report.  J Pediatr Endocrin Metab,  22(7):623-8, 2009.

2002

Venditti C.P., Farmer J., Russell K. L., Freidrich C.A., Alter C, Canning D., Whitaker L,  Mennuti M., T., Driscoll D. A., and Zackai E.H.  Omodysplasia: an affected mother and son.   Amer J Med Gen, 111 (2):169-77, 2002.

2000

N. Ramchandani,, J.M. Cantey-Kiser, C.A. Alter, S.J. Brink, S.D. Yeager. W.V. Tamborlane, S.R. Chipkin, “Self-reported factors that affect glycemic control in college students with type 1 diabetes.”  Diabetes Educator, 2000:26, 656-666.

1996

C.A. Alter, P.S. Thornton, S.M. Willi, Alter CA, N Bunin, T Moshang Jr., "Growth in Children after Bone Marrow Transplantation for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia", J Pediatr Endocr, 1996:  9:  pp. 51-57.

1995

C.A. Alter, B.A. Wolf, "Identification of phosphatidyl inositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate, in pancreatic islets and insulin secreting ß-Cells", Biochem and Biophys Research Comm, 1995: 208, pp. 190-197.

1994

P.S. Thornton, C.A. Alter, LE Levitt Katz, D. Gruccio, P. Winyard, and T. Moshang Jr., "The new highly sensitive adrenocorticotropin assay improves detection of patients with partial adrenocorticotropin deficiency in the short term metyrapone test", J Pediatr Endocr, 1994: 7(4), pp. 317-324.

C.A. Alter, M. Amagasu, K. Shah, Y.C. Jolly, C.Major, B.A. Wolf. "U-73122 does not specifically Inhibit phospholipase C in rat pancreatic islets and insulin-secreting beta-cell lines", Life Science, 1994:  54(8), PL107-112.

G.M. Talente, R.A. Coleman, C.A. Alter, L. Baker, Bl. Brown, R.A. Cannon, Y.T. Chen, J.F.  Crigler, Jr., P. Ferreira, J.C. Haworth. "Glycogen storage disease in adults, Annal Int Med, 1994: 120(3), pp. 218-226.

1993

P.S. Thornton, C.A. Alter, LE Levitt Katz, L. Baker, and C.A. Stanley, "Short- and long-term use of octreotide in the treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism", J Pediatr, 1993:  123(4), pp. 637-643.

C.A. Alter and T. Moshang, Jr., "Growth hormone deficiency in two siblings with Alstrom Syndrome", Amer J Dis Child, 1993: 147(1), pp. 97-99.

1992

J.P. Deweiko, C.A. Alter, "Subcutaneous emphysema:  report of a case and review of the literature", Dermatology, 1992: 184(1), pp. 62-64.

1987

S.L. Jacques, C.A. Alter, S.A. Prahl, "Angular dependence of HeNe laser scattering by human dermis", Lasers in the Life Science, 1987: 1(4), pp. 309-333.

Abstracts

2017

A.P. Herrera, A. Karlin, C.A. Alter.  Co-presentation of Prolactinoma and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy: Random Strangers or Known Friends?  Endocrine Society, 2017 Meeting, Orlando, FL.

Books

Chapters

2015

Alter C, Dodt S.  Panhypopituitarism,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult (7th Edition), Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, PA, 2015.

Alter C, Dodt, S.  Growth hormone deficiency,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult (7th Edition), Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, PA, 2015.

2013

Alter C, Rossi WC, Bauer, AJ.  Schwartz’s Clinical Handbook of Pediatrics, 5th Ed. Zorc     JJ, Alpern ER, Brown LW, Loomes KM, Marino BS, Mollen CJ, Raffini LJ, Eds. Philadelphia:  Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2013.

2011

Roizen J, Alter C.  Panhypopituitarism,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult (5th Edition), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA, 2011.

Roizen J, Alter C.  Growth hormone deficiency,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult (5th Edition), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA, 2011.

Pinney SE, Bamba V, Alter C: Chapter 68: Thyroid Disease. Netter’s Pediatrics. T Florin,  S Ludwig (eds). Saunders. Philadelphia, PA  (June, 2011).

2005

Alter, C. Growth hormone deficiency,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult (4th Edition), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.

Alter, C. Panhypopituitarism,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult, (4th Edition), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.

Alter, C.A. and Rossi, W.R.: Principles of Growth and Maturation (Chapter 4) in Osborn L., DeWitt T., First L (Eds.) Pediatrics, Elsevier Moser Inc, 2005.

2002

Alter, C. Growth hormone deficiency,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult, Clinical Handbook in Pediatrics 3e, 2002.

Alter, C. Panhypopituitarism,  In: Schwartz M.W., Five Minute Consult, Clinical Handbook in Pediatrics 3e, 2002.

Alter, C. Thyromegaly. In: Schwartz M.W., Clinical Handbook in Pediatrics 3ed, Williams and Wilkens, 2002.

2000

M. Mohrmann, K. Roberts and C.A. Alter: “Physical Growth”. In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics. (Fifth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 19, pp. 81-86, 2000.

M. Mohrmann, K. Roberts and C.A. Alter: “Sexual Development”. In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics.  (Fifth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 29, pp 127-132, 2000.

CA Alter and A Grimberg: “Diabetes mellitus”. In:  Manual of Clinical  Problems in Pediatrics.  (Fifth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 81, pp 356-361, 2000.

A. Kelly and C.A. Alter: “Hypoglycemia”. In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics.  (Fifth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 80, pp 352-356, 2000.

S A. Weinzimer and C.A. Alter: “Diabetic ketoacidosis”. In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics.  (Fifth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 6, pp 26-31, 2000.

1996

K. Murphy, C.A. Alter:  "Endocrine emergencies".  In:  Critical Care Nursing of             Infants and Children.  J Smith, M Curly, P Malony-Harmon (eds.) Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 777-792, 1996.

1995

B.A. Wolf, R.J. Konrad, and C.A. Alter:  "Role of Phospholipases C, A2, and D in insulin secretion".  In:  Flatt PR & Lenzen S (eds) Frontiers of Insulin Secretion and Pancreatic ß-Cell Research.  Chapter 39, pp 297-304, Smith Gordan, London, 1995.

1994

C.A. Alter and R.S. Brown: "Hypoglycemia".  In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics.  (Fourth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 86, pp 360-364, 1994.

C.A. Alter and R.S. Brown: “Diabetes mellitus", ".  In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics. (Fourth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 87,pp 364-369, 1994.

C.A. Alter and R.S. Brown:  "Diabetic ketoacidosis", In:  Manual of Clinical Problems in Pediatrics. (Fourth Edition). K. Roberts (ed.) Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., Chapter 7, pp 27-31,1994.

1991

C.A. Alter and T. Moshang, Jr., "Diagnostic dilemma:  the goiter", Ped Clin N Amer, 1991: 38(3), pp. 567-578.

Posters and Presentations

Invited Lectures

2017

C.A. Alter. Interesting Cases 7th Annual Pediatric Endocrine Conference, CHOP, Philadelphia, PA, November 2017.

C.A. Alter. FAES Endocrine Review Course, Disorders of Puberty, Disorders of Growth, Pediatric Endocrine Case Studie, Bethesda, MD, September 2017.

C.A. Alter. Pediatric Endocrine Board Review, Dinner Speaker, Washington DC, September 2017.

C.A. Alter. Diabetes Mellitus in Children., CMI Media, Philadelphia, PA, June 2017.

C.A. Alter. Outcomes of Children Treated with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, April 2017.

2016

C.A. Alter. Disorders of Puberty, Pediatric Grand Rounds, Oregon Science & Health University (OSHU), November 10, 2016.

C.A. Alter. The Bread & Butter of How to Beef Up Your Presentation, Science & Health University (OSHU), November 10, 2016.

C.A. Alter. Diabetes Insipidus in Children, Endocrine Grand Rounds, Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, September 2016.

C.A. Alter. Van Wyk Award Introduction for Charlie Stanley, Pediatric Endocrine Society Meeting, Baltimore, MD, May 2016.

C.A. Alter. Pediatric Endocrine Self-Assessment Program, Endocrine Society, Boston, Massachusetts, April 2016.

C.A. Alter. Diabetes Insipidus (Meet the Professor), Endocrine Society, Boston, Massachusetts, April 2016.

2015

C.A. Alter. Analysis of Growth Charts , 6th Annual Pediatric Endocrine Conference, CHOP, Philadelphia, PA, November 2015.

C.A. Alter. Side effects of Steroids, American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, San Antonio, TX, November 2015.

C.A. Alter. Disorders of Puberty, NIH Endocrine Conference, Bethesda, MD, October 2015.

C.A. Alter. Inactive and Interactive Hormones, PES Board Review Course, San Diego, California, April 2015.

C.A. Alter. Adrenal Gland, PES Board Review Course, San Diego, California, April 2015.

C.A. Alter. Disorders of Growth, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, 2nd Annual Pediatric Conference, Edinburg, Texas, January 2015.

Awards and Honors

2012-2017, Suburban Life Main Line Top Doc

2016, Pediatric Endocrine Society Award for Service on the Board

2015, Prize for the Best Novel Insight Paper

2015, Misameach Award for Top Pediatric Doc

2013, Master Clinician Award, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

2012, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Physician Hero

2010-present, U.S. News and World Report listed as one of the Top National Pediatric Endocrinologists

2011, Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching at an Affiliate Hospital University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

2010-2011, Resident Honor Roll

2010, Montgomery County Top Pediatric Endocrinologist

2002, 2008, 2010-2017, 2022, Philadelphia Magazine's Top Doctors in Pediatric Endocrinology

2000-2010, Faculty Teaching Honor Roll (by the Residents)

1998-2001, National Faculty Development Scholars Program (NIH funded)

1996, Faculty Teaching Award, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School

1991, Fellow Teacher of the Year Award, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania

1987, Cum Laude & Medical School Thesis with Honors, Harvard Medical School

1982, Summa Cum Laude:  University of Pennsylvania

1983, Alpha Chi Sigma Award for the Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania

1982, Phi Beta Kappa

Editorial and Academic Positions

Editorial Positions

Reviewer

Journal of Pediatrics

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

Pediatrics Emergency Care

Journal Pediatric Diabetes

Pediatrics

Endocrine Society:  Pediatric Endocrine Self-Assessment Program

Academic and Institutional Committees

2012-present, Physician Advisory Panel Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Leadership and Memberships

Memberships in Professional Organizations

Pediatric Endocrine Society

 - 2017-present, MOC Committee 

 - 2016-present, Hormone Health Network

 - 2013-2016, Director on Board of Directors

 - 2011-present, Educational Council

The Endocrine Society