Clinical Services

Main campus

Children's evaluates children and adolescents who are overweight (body mass index (BMI) greater than the 85th percentile up to the 95th percentile, plus associated co-conditions) or obese (BMI greater than the 95th percentile). The Child Wellness Clinic sees children ages 2-11 and the Adolescent Wellness Clinic cares for children ages 12-19. Both clinics are located at the Seattle campus.

Team members include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nutritionists, behavior specialists and fitness specialists. Our interdisciplinary assessment aims at identifying what is happening in the child or adolescent’s environment to undermine their ability to regulate energy balance and grow predictably.

In our consultation, we focus on individual and family behavior and lifestyle change related to overweight rather than a restrictive diet approach. Both the child’s (and teen’s) and the parents’ desire and readiness to change are essential to this process.

Since all overweight children are at risk for hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, asthma, sleep apnea/sleep-disordered breathing, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, musculoskeletal problems and depression, we may refer patients to other subspecialists. At this time, we don’t offer surgical interventions (bariatric surgery).

We work closely with the child’s primary care provider for follow-up close to home. We also help families and local providers identify community-based resources as needed. We are in the process of designing a structured evidence-based weight-management treatment program for both Wellness Clinics.

To refer a child to the Child Wellness Clinic or a teen to the Adolescent Wellness Clinic:

Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic

Fit 4 You is a clinical program at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic for the patients and families that receive their primary care services. Fit 4 You was developed to create a coordinated approach to care that targets obesity prevention during well-child visits, identifies overweight youth, provides education to families about healthy eating, and links families with more than 15 community partners that promote physical activity. Download the Fit 4 You brochure (PDF 1.7MB).

Community

Strong Kids/Strong Teens (PDF 2.8MB), a community-based healthy lifestyle program, is available for overweight and obese youth (8 to 14 years old) and their parents at several YMCAs. This program is a partnership between the YMCA of Greater Seattle, Children’s Hospital and Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic.

A health team teaches new eating habits and fun ways to be active and shows participants how to create healthy lifestyles for the whole family. Two 90-minute sessions are conducted each week for three months, then once a week for six weeks. View the calendar (PDF 15KB), which lists the next available programs and the YMCA locations.

The Strong Kids/Strong Teens program requires a provider referral, and one adult family member must participate. For more details on the program and the referral process, see:

Cost of the Strong Kids Strong Teens program is $300/family for non-YMCA members and $225/family for YMCA members. Insurance does not cover the program fee at this time. When financial support has been available, such as from Steps to Health King County or Partners with Youth funds, Strong Kids Strong Teens programs have been offered at no cost to participants. The YMCA is a membership organization open to all people. Financial assistance, to the extent possible, is available to those in need.

If you think that this program is right for a child or a teen in your care and you believe the parent and child/teen are ready to participate in this program, fax a completed referral form to the Strong Kids Strong Teens program at (206) 987-5087.

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