Helping Kids with Growth Disorders Excel
Andrew Dauber, MD, MMSc, our chief of Endocrinology, first witnessed the profound impact of research on a family while he was a first-year fellow. “The patient, a baby, was not growing,” he says. The infant had higher calcium levels than anyone on the medical team had ever seen. Extensive hormonal evaluation didn’t provide much insight.
Dr. Dauber contacted experts around the world for advice on how to help the family. “Across the board the answer was, ‘We don’t know what causes this, but if you figure it out, let us know,’” he says. He recalls it as a “challenge accepted” moment and dove into research.
“I saw how, from a single patient, we could learn a tremendous amount and use that data to create a better treatment,” says Dr. Dauber, who developed a new protocol specifically for that patient. “He got better as a result. His calcium levels normalized and watching his growth improve over time was a great feeling.”
At Children’s National Hospital over the last six years, Dr. Dauber has worked in all areas of pediatric endocrinology. He specializes in studying and treating growth disorders and has discovered treatments that have changed the lives of children and their families. This includes Rocco, who has been in treatment for more than a year for his growth disorder and is “growing beautifully,” Dr. Dauber says. Mia, who has a short stature as the result of a genetic disorder, has made progress and greatly improved her day-to-day life.
These days Dr. Dauber is working on creating an endocrinology research program at Children’s National. The program will bring together comprehensive resources for those children who have rare diseases, thyroid problems, growth disorders, early or delayed puberty and diabetes.
“Discovery is important, and research gives us many answers,” he says. “But what we do with those answers is what really matters. There’s nothing better than seeing the impact that our research is having on an individual patient. It is so gratifying to hear from parents about how their kids are making progress thanks to a research protocol we developed.”
Dr. Dauber contacted experts around the world for advice on how to help the family. “Across the board the answer was, ‘We don’t know what causes this, but if you figure it out, let us know,’” he says. He recalls it as a “challenge accepted” moment and dove into research.
“I saw how, from a single patient, we could learn a tremendous amount and use that data to create a better treatment,” says Dr. Dauber, who developed a new protocol specifically for that patient. “He got better as a result. His calcium levels normalized and watching his growth improve over time was a great feeling.”
At Children’s National Hospital over the last six years, Dr. Dauber has worked in all areas of pediatric endocrinology. He specializes in studying and treating growth disorders and has discovered treatments that have changed the lives of children and their families. This includes Rocco, who has been in treatment for more than a year for his growth disorder and is “growing beautifully,” Dr. Dauber says. Mia, who has a short stature as the result of a genetic disorder, has made progress and greatly improved her day-to-day life.
These days Dr. Dauber is working on creating an endocrinology research program at Children’s National. The program will bring together comprehensive resources for those children who have rare diseases, thyroid problems, growth disorders, early or delayed puberty and diabetes.
“Discovery is important, and research gives us many answers,” he says. “But what we do with those answers is what really matters. There’s nothing better than seeing the impact that our research is having on an individual patient. It is so gratifying to hear from parents about how their kids are making progress thanks to a research protocol we developed.”
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