Be Well Kids Clinic

Overview

Bringing together a comprehensive team of physicians, researchers and healthcare professionals with expert knowledge in childhood obesity, the Be Well Kids Clinic works with children (ages 2-18) and their families to develop strategies and create plans for a healthy lifestyle change.

What We Treat

The Be Well Kids Clinic team is comprised of expert healthcare professionals dedicated to assisting children with childhood obesity and associated issues, including:

Acanthosis Nigricans
Adolescent bariatric surgery
Anxiety
Asthma
Blount's Disease
Cholelithiasis (gallstones)
Constipation
Depression
Exercise Intolerance
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Hypertension
Hyperlipidemia/Dyslipidemia
Insulin Resistance/ Pre-diabetes
Metabolic Syndrome
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Peer Bullying
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Poor Quality of Life
Poor Self Esteem
Pre-hypertension
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Sleep Disturbances
Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
Type 2 Diabetes

Programs

Childhood obesity and weight problems are increasing at alarming rates and it is no different in the Northeast Ohio area. The Be Well Kids Clinic uniquely targets children with excess weight and seeks to provide excellent care in managing the medical problems associated with being overweight, along with teaching families ways to improve quality of life and enhance wellness. Our family-centered approach strives to create life-long healthy weight.

Who is eligible?

The Be Well Kids Clinic accepts children who meet the following criteria:

2 to 18 years of age (ages may vary by location)
Body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile (determine BMI percentile)
Is motivated, along with their family, to make continuous lifestyle changes

Insurance coverage is different for everyone, so it is best to contact your insurance carrier to review your coverage. Billing for lab tests may be associated with the medical conditions identified at your visit. It is best to ask your insurance provider if they cover 99214 or 99215 medical visits and 97802 and 97803 nutrition visits.

What to expect

Before the initial visit each parent is asked to complete a questionnaire and a medical history. During the visit a medical provider will complete a physical exam, review health history, order lab work to identify health problems, and develop manageable goals with you and your child. You and your child will also meet with a dietitian to review healthy eating strategies.

During a group session, you will meet with members of the Be Well Kids Clinical team:

A pediatrician, pediatric endocrinologist, or nurse practitioner – who will address your child’s medical needs.
A registered dietitian - who can help you with healthy meal planning and portion control.
A physical therapist - who will help your child find a safe, enjoyable physical activity, such as weight training.
A pediatric psychologist or clinical social worker – to help your child build motivation and self-esteem, and address body image issues and bullying.

Follow-up visits are scheduled monthly to offer feedback and to support achieving a healthy weight goal. Frequency will decrease once goals have been met and life-long healthy weight strategies will be identified in order to sustain the positive changes which have been obtained.

Adolescent Bariatric Surgery

For some teenagers, a comprehensive lifestyle program is not enough. Teenagers with severely elevated body mass index, and serious medical complications, may qualify for weight loss surgery. This is a procedure that can have benefits but has risks a family needs to consider.

Learn more about Adolescent Bariatric Surgery

Staff

The team of healthcare professionals who make up the Be Well Kids Clinic are devoted to assisting children and their families in the prevention of childhood obesity and treating comorbidities associated with obesity.

Lina Alkhaled, MD

Main Campus Be Well Clinic

Dietitians: Erin Leneghan, RD & Margherita Shook, RD
Physical Therapy: Meredith Rodriguez, PT
Behavioral Health: Taylor Stephens, PhD

Hillcrest Be Well Clinic

Dietitian: Hanna Leikin, MS, RD, CSP, LD
Physical Therapy: Meredith Rodriguez, PT
Behavioral Health: Lianne Piorkowski, LPCC

Fairview Be Well Clinic

Dietitians: Erin Leneghan, RD & Margherita Shook, RD
Physical Therapy: Kathleen Finnan, PT
Behavioral Health: Gina Rhodes, PhD, & Nikki Ratti, LPCC

Resources

Our team of experts has compiled a list of resources that may help your child and family as you journey down the path to weight loss together.

Lifestyle programs & resources

Recipes

Appointments

To make an appointment by phone, please call 216.448.6000 for Main Campus, Fairview, or Hillcrest.
Make an appointment online