Diabetes Program (Childhood and Adolescent)

Children’s National is home to one of the largest pediatric diabetes program in the Mid-Atlantic region, providing care for children and young adults from Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland. With our extensive expertise in the long-term care of children and adolescents with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, we will equip you and your child with the best resources and education to successfully manage this chronic condition.

Choosing Children’s National for Diabetes Care

At Children’s National, we provide a full range of services for our patients living with diabetes. Our team of experts is with you from your child’s initial diagnosis through treatment and follow-up care. We take time to explain the diagnosis, maintain regular appointments and identify healthy habits and behaviors that will contribute to your child’s quality of life.

Highlights of our program include:

• Reputation. We are an American Diabetes Association (ADA) recognized program and are ranked in the top 10 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more.
• World-renowned experts. Some of the world’s leading experts in diabetes are working right here at Children’s National. Our experts are committed to quality care and their work extends beyond our hospital, many of them working with the states of Maryland and Virginia to advocate for safe diabetes care in schools and institutions and serving on national diabetes committees. Meet the team.
• Full spectrum of care services. We care for children that are prediabetic, as well as those who have more unusual types of diabetes, such as maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD), neonatal diabetes and medication-induced diabetes. Visit us at one of our locations.
• Patient education. As an ADA-recognized education provider, our intensive and comprehensive education program teaches you and your child how to manage diabetes. We provide instruction on insulin administration, blood glucose monitoring, medical nutrition therapy, exercise and coping skills. We also make daily phone reminders for patients that have to adjust their insulin doses and offer individual face-to-face educational sessions. Learn more.
• Integrated clinical research and advanced technology. The Diabetes Program aims to use clinical research to address the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Our team is continually working towards bringing cutting-edge drug and device clinical trials to our patients. In addition, we offer the latest technological options, such as insulin pump therapy and glucose monitoring, to treat your child in the most effective way. We are also participating in a multi-center clinical trial to test the efficacy of the iLet bionic pancreas — a device that automatically regulates blood sugar levels in patients with Type 1 diabetes. Learn more. 
• Community engagement. We work closely with our Diabetes Program Advisory Committee, which is comprised of our patients’ families and community stakeholders. The Advisory Committee meets annually to evaluate and recommend family-centered initiatives for the program. In addition, we host an annual Halloween Candy Exchange and various teen support groups, in collaboration with our Psychology program.
• State-of-the-art facility. The Washington Nationals Diabetes Care Complex is the highlight of our care delivery. The complex allows Children’s National to provide quality diabetes care through state-of-the-art outpatient treatment rooms and an education center, where families can participate in simulation labs to learn about proper nutrition and physical exercise - keys to successful diabetes management. Learn more.

Contact Us

For more information or to make an appointment with our care team, call 202-476-3440. If your child is a new visitor, please bring your child’s latest lab work to their doctor’s visit. If your child is currently a patient at Children’s National, please bring their blood glucose meters and data from pumps and continuous glucose monitoring devices to their doctor’s visit.