What Do Nephrologists Treat?
Nephrologists are physicians with pediatric training, who then specialize in caring for children with kidney disease. The symptoms of kidney disease can be subtle, but there are signs to watch for in your child.
Consider seeing your primary care doctor to talk about kidney health if your child has:
- Poor growth
- Persistent muscle cramps
- Fatigue that doesn’t correspond with their activity level
Nephrologists also treat patients who have:
- Hematuria (blood in the urine)
- Proteinuria (protein in the urine)
- Decreased kidney function (a lower level of “cleaning work” by the kidneys than normal, and some causes of edema, or swelling in the face, hands and feet)
Did you know that nephrologists also treat conditions such as hypertension, or high blood pressure, in children? Hypertension occurs at any age, from birth to adulthood. Children at highest risk for high blood pressure include babies born prematurely, children who are overweight and children with other medical conditions such as heart disease or organ transplants.
Kidney Disease
While some children’s kidney disease progresses to require dialysis or kidney transplant, most children do not, and we can often manage the kidney condition through clinic visits. We provide an inpatient comprehensive consultation service at Phoenix Children’s Hospital for children with acute worsening of their kidney conditions. For children whose kidney disease does progress to kidney failure, we provide dialysis and kidney transplant services at the Phoenix Children’s Main campus at 1919 E. Thomas Road in Phoenix.
If you and your child’s doctor are concerned for your child’s kidney health, click here. We’re here for your kiddo’s kidney health!
