Endocrinology/Diabetes

The Diabetes Center is made possible by a partnership between UBMD Pediatrics and Oishei Children’s Hospital. The Center plays a key role in the Western New York community where over 900 children with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes receive their care. Although commonly thought of as an adult disease, Type 2 diabetes is now being diagnosed in children due in large part to the epidemic of childhood obesity. The Center is the only pediatric hospital to have received the designation of the Diabetes Center of Excellence for Type 2 diabetes from the New York State Department of Health with a grant awarded between 2006-2011, followed by a New York State grant awarded in 2011 for Obesity Prevention. In April 2013, the center joined the league of selected pediatric diabetes centers to be accredited by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for the Education Recognition Program.

The care of children with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is provided by a team of professionals using a state-of-the-art approach tailored to meet each patient's needs. The team includes nine Board Certified/Eligible Pediatric Diabetologist-Endocrinologists, one nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator (CDE), two nurse-CDEs, 1 nurse educator, two registered dietitian-CDEs, and one social worker. Clinic appointments take place at Conventus during five half-day sessions, with dietary and diabetes education available. Patients are also seen outside of clinic for dietary counseling and diabetes education.Our team is involved in state of the art basic and clinical research focusing on insulin resistance/signaling and the treatment and prevention of Type 1 diabetes and overweight.  Opportunities are available for patients interested in participating in research studies, led by the physicians with the assistance of experienced research personnel. Our center participates in TrialNet, a federally-funded grant aimed at screening and prevention of Type 1 diabetes in high risk individuals. For more than 20 years, the Diabetes Center has collaborated in nationwide efforts aimed at diabetes treatment and prevention.

The Diabetes Center plays a key role in the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange, the largest registry for Type 1 diabetes in the United States. Through the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange, patients of the Diabetes Center participate in trials studying how well the pancreas is able to produce insulin and the quality of life of those with diabetes. Planned future trials include new drugs to improve diabetes control. In addition, Dr. Quattrin and her colleagues at the University at Buffalo are testing a novel, family-based weight-control program targeting preschoolers at risk of becoming overweight. With the support of a $2.55 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Buffalo Healthy Tots is partnering with pediatric health care providers in Buffalo and Western New York to pioneer this novel approach, for pediatricians throughout the United States to prevent and treat obesity in young children. We also participate in trials to test new drugs to improve control in type 2 diabetes.

In addition to its focus on the prevention and treatment of diabetes, we provide comprehensive care to those affected by endocrine disorders, such as short stature, thyroid conditions, precocious puberty, adrenal disorders, and disorder of sexual development (DSD). The Endocrine Clinic has been providing patient centered care with a multidisciplinary team for individuals with DSD and their families for many years, which has now become the standard of care. It is the region’s only center certified as a Newborn Screening referral center for Congenital Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Hyperplasia. The center participates in multiple medical drug trials which provide opportunities to the community to be a part of latest research.

The Multidisciplinary Pediatric Thyroid Center at Oishei Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive program for children with thyroid disease. Thyroid disease in children and adolescents is very different than in adults. Although thyroid nodules are rare in children, they are much more likely to represent a malignancy (25% vs. 5-10%). In addition, the pathology, prognosis and molecular genetics of differentiated thyroid cancer in children and adolescents is different than in adults. Therefore, it is important that children with thyroid disease be treated at a pediatric center.

At the Pediatric Thyroid Center, we work as a clinical care team to bring the best care to children and adolescents with thyroid disease. We have the combined expertise of dedicated pediatric endocrinologists, a pediatric surgeon in collaboration with an adult endocrine surgeon specializing in thyroid disorders, as well as pediatric oncologists, interventional radiologists, pathologists, and nuclear medicine specialists with expertise in thyroid disease. Diseases treated at the Thyroid Center include, but are not limited to, thyroid nodules, differentiated thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, medullary thyroid carcinoma, Graves disease/hyperthyroidism, and syndromes associated with endocrine tumors. Our specialists will work with your child’s primary care provider to learn about their medical conditions and communicate the management plan to your child’s doctor. 

Additional Physicians
Robert Borowski, DO

Division Manager
Kathy Rygg

Clinical Secretaries
Maria Centeno-Torres
Shannon Heater
Danielia Hunter

Nurse Practitioner
Inpatient: Patty Lindner, CPNP
Outpatient: Casey Wild, RN, CPNP

Physician Assistant/Diabetes Educator
Cristi Wedgwood, PA-C, CDE

Clinical Dietitian
Samantha Paolini, MS, RD

Diabetes Educators
Inpatient: Sandra Spoth, RN, CDE
Outpatient: Ellen Marrone, RN, CDE

Licensed Pediatric Psychologist
Christopher Fitzgerald, PhD

Social Worker
Melissa Kowalski, MSW

Research Team
Hannah Elsinghorst, BA
Amanda House, MPH, RN
Alora Rumfola, MPH