Barts and The London Endocrinology Centre
Adrenal disorders
The most common adrenal disorders we treat in children include:
Addison’s disease is a rare chronic condition that affects both children and adults. It is brought about by the failure of the adrenal glands which produce steroid hormones (cortisol and aldosterone) that are essential for life. Patients with addison’s disease experience tiredness, loss of appetite, weak muscles and cravings for salty foods. Our patients are treated with steroid therapy and we support their families and liaise with their GP to provide advice about ongoing treatment and care.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a group of adrenal gland disorders. This can affect both boys and girls and they lack an enzyme needed by the adrenal gland to make the hormones cortisol and aldosterone. Without these two hormones the body produces more androgen (a type of male sex hormone) causing male appearances and characteristics – newborn girls can have ambiguous genitalia which look more male than female.
There are no obvious symptoms in newborn baby boys, but they do become muscular, the penis enlarges and pubic hair may appear at 2-3 years of age. Treatment involves returning hormone levels to normal which is done by taking a form of cortisol on a daily basis and being regularly monitored by our team of paediatric endocrine experts.
For more information on congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or to contact the national support group, please click here