When your child’s kidneys aren’t working properly, they may develop other health issues. We work with other children’s health specialists to ensure we’re addressing all your child’s care needs.

Other specialists at the Children’s Specialty Center who may be part of your child’s care team include:

• Pediatric cardiologists, who can help manage your child’s heart health.
• Pediatric endocrinologists, who can monitor your child’s blood sugar and help keep their growth on track.
• Pediatric urologists, who can perform procedures to address anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract.
• Dietitians, who can support your child’s nutritional needs.
• Child psychiatrists and psychologists, who can provide your family with strategies to manage chronic disease.

If your child has any of these symptoms or concerns, you may benefit from seeing a pediatric nephrologist:

• Bedwetting or frequent urination
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Kidney stones
• Blood in urine (hematuria) or too much protein in urine (proteinuria)
• High blood pressure
• Swelling around the eyes, face, feet or ankles (edema)

Talk to your child’s primary care provider if they have one or more of these symptoms. They may order tests or refer you to our pediatric nephrology team to find the cause of your child’s symptoms.

Our team also provides second opinions if your child or teen has been diagnosed with a kidney condition. We’re here to offer education, guidance and support to help your family determine the right next steps.

Issues affecting your child’s kidney, bladder and urinary tract can be closely related.

If your child has an issue with their kidney function or blood pressure, pediatric nephrologists can help. We can treat the underlying issues in your child’s kidneys that may be affecting the bladder or urinary tract.

For issues with the structure of their kidneys, bladder or urinary tract, your child may need a pediatric urologist.

Sometimes, children benefit from seeing both a nephrologist and a urologist. At the Children’s Specialty Center, our pediatric nephrologists and pediatric urologists can collaborate on a personalized treatment plan for your child. These specialists can sometimes meet during the same visit to help you reduce travel time. They work together to review your child’s history and test results to determine the best next steps.

Our goal is to see your child for their first appointment as quickly as possible. That usually means we’ll see you within a week — or even sooner if your child has a severe condition. If you are unable to travel to the hospital, you may be able to schedule a telehealth visit with us.

During your first visit, a pediatric nephrologist and nurse will meet with you and your child in our kid-friendly space. They’ll also take every step to make your child comfortable during the exam.

Our team will review your child’s health history, including past tests and treatments. If needed, they’ll order additional tests. Based on your child’s test results, your pediatric nephrologist will discuss potential treatment options with you.

We’ll also develop an appropriate follow-up plan, which may involve telehealth visits if that is more convenient for your family.

Our team offers the complete range of tests to diagnose or monitor your child’s kidney condition, including:

• Urine tests
• Blood tests
• Renal (kidney) ultrasound, which creates images of your child’s kidneys
• Blood pressure testing, including 24-hour monitoring with a portable device that can be used at home or school
• Nuclear renal scan, which shows how the kidneys are working using a small amount of radioactive material
• Kidney biopsy, which involves taking a sample of tissue from the kidney, usually with a needle and imaging guidance

Some nonsurgical treatment options for children and teens with kidney conditions and diseases include:

• Lifestyle changes like better nutrition and regular exercise to help manage high blood pressure.
• Medications to treat blood pressure, protein in the urine, acidosis (acid buildup), autoimmune diseases and other kidney conditions.
• Physical therapy and urinary biofeedback, overseen by pediatric urologists, use breathing exercises and muscle strengthening to help with recurrent UTIs and other issues.
• Kidney stone treatment involves pediatric urologists using shock waves or lasers to break up kidney stones, with no incisions needed.
• Kidney dialysis to remove waste from blood.

Our pediatric nephrologists partner with pediatric surgeons to diagnose and manage kidney conditions, including those that require advanced surgical treatment:

• Renal stent placement to improve blood flow to your child’s kidneys.
• Kidney stone removal, which may be performed using minimally invasive surgery that uses small incisions and special instruments.
• Fetal surgery, if prenatal ultrasound or other screening tests show your baby might have certain congenital anomalies affecting their kidneys. We can work with specialists in our Fetal Intervention Center to correct these issues, even before your baby is born.
• Kidney transplant for kids with end-stage kidney disease. Our pediatric nephrologists provide comprehensive kidney transplant care, from preparation to surgery to lifelong care after transplant. In our Kidney Transplant Clinic, they work with pediatric urologists, transplant surgeons, social workers, dietitians and others throughout your child’s treatment journey.