Disorders/Differences of Sex Development Clinic
Disorders/Differences of Sex Development Clinic
Disorders (or differences) of Sex Development (DSD) is a broad term used for medical conditions in which development of sex chromosomes, gonads, or sexual anatomy is atypical.
The DSD Clinic at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital is an interdisciplinary clinic designed to:
- Provide excellent, compassionate and accessible care that promotes long-term physical and emotional well-being for persons with DSD and their families.
- Partner with persons with DSD and their families to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care that meets individual needs and promotes continuous improvement.
Our Approach
Members of the U-M Health DSD Clinic at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital understand that each child with a DSD is unique, and that each family has different concerns and needs. Our team of providers specializes in diagnosing DSD and providing clinical care for infants, adolescents and young adults and provides seamless transition to adult specialists.
Our mission is to partner with our patients and their families to provide comprehensive, coordinated care that meets long-term physical, social and emotional needs.
Every child treated as an individual
At our DSD clinic, we work hard to attend to your family’s collective needs and will work together with you to create a customized plan of care. We understand that no two children are the same, even if they have the same diagnosis, and that while diagnostic tests may provide us with essential information, they often do not exclusively determine how we proceed with our care. In addition to information regarding the biology of a specific condition, our care plans take into account the general health of your child as well as your family’s cultural and religious beliefs and treatment preferences. Our goal is to balance all these factors to achieve the best health and well-being for your child and entire family.
Multidisciplinary care
The DSD clinic includes providers from four specialty areas that work together to deliver the best possible healthcare to your child and family. Not every child will need to see every specialist, and many conditions do not require procedures or surgery. Our approach to care is truly customized, with each patient’s care team pulled together from multiple specialties to meet his or her individual needs. Our providers function as an interdisciplinary team of health care specialists working together to provide timely, expert care with a focus on being truly patient- and family-centered. Each specialist provides an important way of viewing your child’s health and development.
Areas of Expertise
- Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecologist: A doctor specializing in the gynecological care of children and teenagers, including sexuality, fertility and surgical, issues.
- Pediatric Surgeon: A doctor who has specializes in the treatment of conditions that can be surgically corrected in a baby, child, or adolescent.
- Pediatric Urologist: A doctor specializing in the urinary tract and sex organs. Urologists perform surgery on these systems.
- Child Life Specialists: Specialists who promote effective coping, through play, preparation and education. They provide emotional support for families and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences.
- Pediatric Psychology: A child clinical psychology specialist who knows about the emotional, behavioral, social, and learning-related aspects of health conditions that affect children and their families. Some pediatric psychologists specialize in endocrine conditions, including DSD.
- Social Worker: Professionals who help people cope with the emotional, social, and financial aspects of health conditions. They provide counseling and help families locate needed social services and resources.
- Pediatric Endocrinologist: A doctor specializing in conditions affecting their hormones and glands, such as the adrenal glands or gonads.
- Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse: A pediatric nurse who has special training and experience in endocrinology.
- Pediatric Geneticist: A doctor specializing in the diagnosis and management of hereditary disorders.
- Genetic Counselor: A specialist in the genetic aspects of health conditions, including the chances parents pass them to their children.
Appointment Information
To learn more about the DSD program at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, or to schedule an appointment, call 734-232-0436.
Our interdisciplinary clinic usually occurs on the second and fourth Friday of each month in C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. To allow for enough time for you to meet individually with all team members involved in your child’s care, appointments start around 1:00 pm and typically last several hours. Prior to your visit, you will receive a packet of information which provides details about our program and the appointment. Additionally, our social worker will be contacting you to discuss any concerns or questions you might have.
By the time you arrive in clinic, the members of the DSD team will have already prepared for your visit by reviewing available records, discussing your child’s care as a team, and establishing goals for your appointment. The DSD team will meet again after the visit to discuss our impressions and develop a plan for care and management. Our interdisciplinary team approach allows for comprehensive and integrated care with all specialists contributing their expertise and recommendations. You also are important members of our team and we intend for you and your child(ren) to remain informed of our impressions so that you can participate in any decisions regarding the care plan. Therefore, we will provide you with the findings of our evaluations and options for care.
Our DSD clinic coordinator is available if you have any questions about your upcoming visit. The role of the coordinator is to maintain open communication between our team members and our families, as well as to make sure that follow-up arrangements are made. She is the best person to contact if you need results or have any questions, concerns, or needs following your clinic visit.
Referral coordinators will work on obtaining any referrals or authorizations which may be required by your insurance carrier. Patients are responsible for co-pays and deductibles incurred at time of service. As our clinic allows for consultations with numerous specialists in one visit, you may incur multiple co-pays during your appointment. For example, if you meet with three specialists, you will have three specialty office visit co-pays. Patient Financial Counselors are available to discuss billing and/or payment concerns.
Pediatric Endocrinology
- Daniel Shumer, M.D.
- Alexander Waselewski, M.D.
- Adrienne Marler, D.O.
Adult Endocrinology
- Richard Auchus, M.D., Ph.D.
Pediatric Urology
- Kate Kraft, M.D.
Pediatric Psychology
- David Sandberg, P.h.D.
Social Work
- Susan Radzilowsi
Genetics
- Catherine Keegan, M.D., Ph.D.
- Mark Hannibal, M.D., Ph.D.
- Lauren Mohnach
Pediatric Gynecology
- Katherine McCracken, M.D.
- Melina Dendrinos, M.D.
Pediatric Surgery
- Karen Speck, M.D.
Education & Support
A DSD diagnosis can be associated with difficult decisions for families. Our team is here to provide you with the necessary information and support to help you participate in a shared decision making process.
Some of the support services we provide include working with all families, especially children, to provide age-appropriate education and coping strategies, assisting with financial and insurance barriers, discussing how to increase comfort when sharing information with family and close friends, and taking the time to develop a customized plan to best address your individual needs and preferences.
Additionally, to provide our families with a supportive community, we offer educational and family events as well as peer support. Our ultimate goal is to involve your child and you in a process in which you experience yourselves as members of our team, sharing in all decisions and working towards the long-term physical and emotional well-being of your child and family.
