Children's Hospital Helps Hundreds of Kids Avoid Diabetes

Childhood type 2 diabetes seldom appears out of nowhere — months of rising blood sugar usually precede a formal diagnosis.

When Children’s Wisconsin launched its Diabetes Prevention Clinic in 2023, it set out to intercept that trajectory.

“We wanted to see them earlier, upstream, before complications set in,” said Matthew Edwards, RD, CD, CDCES, certified diabetes care and education specialist at the clinic. “If we can get ahead of diagnosis, it’s a major benefit for our patients and families.”

In its first two years, the program served roughly 200 children. Not one of the program’s participants went on to develop a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

The clinic’s genesis stemmed from a gap in care: children whose elevated blood sugar signaled pre‑diabetes were connected to endocrinologists yet rarely saw a dietitian. Now, every first visit begins with a joint appointment with the endocrinology provider and dietitian, followed by alternating one‑on‑one check‑ins.

The hour‑long sessions with the dietitian dive into MyPlate principles, structured meals and snacks, hydration, and even stress, sleep, and mental health strategies.

“Part of providing health care is providing access to tools and supports,” said pediatric endocrinologist Elizabeth Dabrowski, MD. “We tailor our care and services to each patient individually and do the best we can to help families develop and reach realistic goals.”

Edwards described a patient who reduced their weight by 7% and dropped their A1c from 5.8% (prediabetes) to 5.0% (normal) after 15 months of consistent clinic attendance.

Recognizing that peer support can be as powerful as individualized coaching, the clinic is adding an interactive group class where families will learn together, build relationships, and share strategies. Later this year, patients will also have the option to see a physical therapist alongside their dietitian on the same visit.

The Diabetes Prevention Clinic is just one piece of a broader chronic disease strategy at Children’s Wisconsin. Its Regular Engagement and Connection for Health Outcomes Clinic offers extra care management for complex cases; the Nutrition, Exercise, and Weight Management (NEW) Kids program supports kids with elevated BMI and rapid weight gain; and the Lifestyle Medicine Collaborative addresses obesity, liver disease, and related concerns.

“The collaboration between these programs ensures kids and families receive the right care and support at the right time and the services they really need,” said Cassandra Walia, MS, RD, CD, CNSC, clinical nutrition supervisor.

Children’s Wisconsin is also piloting integrating dietitians into primary care to make healthy habit education part and parcel of the care provided by the health system. Providers are also exploring the potential for a future track for children 6 and under that incorporates genetic screening and lifestyle coaching for early‑onset obesity and a therapeutic teaching kitchen to help families learn how to prepare healthy meals.

“Prevention is always the way to go,” Edwards said. “If we can equip families with knowledge, support, and community, we change health trajectories for life.”

In response to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s report on child health, the Children’s Hospital Association highlights the ways children’s hospitals are helping children live longer and healthier lives by confronting the root causes of chronic illnesses.