Pediatric Healthy Weight Research & Treatment Center – Preparing for Your Appointment

• Your child (or you if you are the patient) needs to be fasting prior to the appointment. Fasting means having nothing to eat or drink, including chewing gum, candy or mints, after midnight the night before the appointment. It is okay to drink water.
• Your child may have lab work done at the appointment. Lab work may include a finger stick or having blood drawn from his or her arm. Not all patients need blood work but most do.
• Most older patients (10 years and older) will have their metabolic rate measured by breathing into a device called an indirect calorimeter that estimates metabolic rate by determining how much oxygen from the air they consume. This painless procedure takes about 10 minutes and helps with our nutrition counseling.
• Bring any medications that your child takes to the appointment so they can take them right after the lab work has been done.
• Pack a small, healthy snack for your child to eat once the lab work has been completed. This may help him or her to focus better at the appointment.

If you need an interpreter, please call 252-744-3664.

Financial/Insurance Information

Your child will be seen by a team including the physician, nutritionist and medical family therapist. A separate bill will be generated for the physician, nutritionist and the lab work. Each of these services is important for your child’s care. As a courtesy, we will file these bills with your insurance company, if you have one. Most insurers cover these services, but please check with your insurance company to make sure your plan covers them BEFORE the appointment.

Please call 252-744-3538 if you have questions about insurance coverage and your appointment.