Diabetes
We are grateful that you've entrusted Endocrine Kids to care for your child's diabetes. Please visit our Diabetes FAQs for commonly asked questions.
Diabetes Forms for Established Patients
Phone Call Guidelines
We ask that you call Dr. Bishop daily between 1 pm and 5 pm after your child is discharged from the hospital or after initial education in the office.
The purpose of these calls is to:
- Help you adjust your child’s insulin dose
- Teach you how to analyze the blood sugar information you are collecting
- Answer any questions you may have regarding your child’s diabetes
We often talk to patients daily for the first 1-2 weeks, after which time the frequency of the calls will decrease. The phone number to use during this time period is: (248) 869-3636 (ENDO). Press 1 to talk with Dr. Bishop. Please note that this is a line for urgent calls and while there may not be an urgent matter at the time, this is the correct number for you to call.
After frequent contact is no longer necessary, we are still happy to discuss insulin doses with you, though we ask that you then call our general office phone number at (248) 347-3344, so that we can review your child’s blood glucose numbers during our regular business hours. You should watch for 3–4-day patterns of high or low blood sugars occurring at the same time of day.
For non-emergency calls, please call between 8 am and 5 pm on weekdays. Examples of non-emergency calls include:
- Most medication / diabetes supply refill requests (see below for exception). Refills can often be accomplished by asking your pharmacy to fax us a refill authorization. Our fax number is (248) 305-6845. You can also request a refill online.
- "Running numbers," i.e., discussing patterns of blood sugars that do not need to be addressed emergently (see below).
- Schedule changes and vacation planning.
- General questions you have regarding diabetes management.
If you are unable to call during business hours but have concerns regarding blood sugar levels, feel free to fax us the blood sugar numbers or email Dr. Bishop, along with a contact number. We will make every effort to get back to you the following business day.
Dr. Bishop is available after hours (between 5 pm – 8 am) Monday through Friday and on weekends and holidays for any urgent question or emergency. To reach her, please call (248) 869-ENDO (3636). An automated system will respond. Press 1 to leave a message for her, and she will call you back.
Examples of emergent/urgent situations include:
- Questions concerning sick-day management for a current illness. HAVE BLOOD SUGAR AND KETONE VALUES AVAILABLE WHEN MAKING CALL.
- Moderate to large ketones, with or without illness, that are not decreasing with the sick-day management guidelines/flowsheet.
- Recurrent low blood sugars unresponsive to usual treatment.
- Hypoglycemic seizure.
- Multiple day patterns of low blood sugars discovered in the evening or on a weekend, requiring likely insulin dose adjustments prior to the next business day.
- Insulin prescription refills if insulin is unavailable to your child for the next scheduled insulin injection. We ask that refill requests be made during business hours. There will be a $10 fee for refill requests made after hours or on weekends.
In addition to the emergent situations listed above, we encourage you to call should you have any concerns about your child's health related to their diabetes that you do not feel can wait until the next business day.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how the body uses glucose, sugar that is the body's primary fuel source. Normally, insulin, which is a hormone, helps glucose enter the body’s cells where it is used for energy.
People with diabetes either do not produce insulin at all, produce an inadequate amount of it, or their insulin doesn’t work like it should. As a result, glucose does not get into the body’s cells. Too much sugar in the blood can make people ill and result in medical complications. Diabetes can occur at any stage of a person’s life and can also be limited to a specific circumstance, such as gestational diabetes in pregnant women.
Understanding the types of diabetes, symptoms, treatment options, and danger signs makes all the difference in the world to successfully managing the disease. Dr. Bishop not only works with her patients and their families to treat diabetes but accompanies them on the journey to good control.
Once a diagnosis is made and Dr. Bishop has determined the type of diabetes a child has, a treatment plan can be properly prescribed. Depending on the type, diabetes may be treated with insulin therapy, diet, exercise, or oral medications.
If you suspect your child has diabetes or they have recently been diagnosed, contact Endocrine Kids today for a consultation. Call our Novi, Michigan, pediatric endocrinology office at (248) 347-3344 for an appointment, or you can use our secure online appointment request form.
