Pediatric Nephrology at Wellstar Children's Hospital of Georgia

Comprehensive kidney care for babies, children and young adults

Our pediatric kidney specialists diagnose and treat young patients with a wide range of kidney problems. If your child has kidney problems, we provide expert care for newborns to young adult. We treat:

• Acute renal insufficiency: The kidneys suddenly stop working correctly and lose their ability to filter waste. This can be treated and sometimes reversed.
• Chronic renal insufficiency: A gradual loss of kidney function over time
• End-stage renal disease: Permanent kidney failure that requires dialysis or a kidney transplant
• Fluid electrolyte imbalances: Mineral levels in the body are too low or too high
• Hypertension: High blood pressure
• Kidney stones: Hard pieces of pebble-like material that form in the kidneys
• Nephritic syndrome: Symptoms that cause swelling and inflammation in the kidney
• Nephrotic syndrome: Symptoms, such as protein in the urine, swelling and high cholesterol, that indicate poor kidney function
• Reflux or other diseases that damage the kidneys

Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program

For children who need kidney transplant surgery, Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia provides highly specialized transplant care and compassionate support. We work with the Carlos and Marguerite Mason Solid Organ Transplant Center to provide kidney assessment, donor services, transplant surgery and follow-up care. Our program makes it possible for children from across the Southeast to come to Wellstar for transplant care. We accept referrals from physicians and dialysis centers.

Renowned pediatric kidney care team

No matter what type of kidney treatment your child needs, our highly trained team will deliver excellent care. We have many years of experience treating simple and complex kidney issues. We offer:

• Child-friendly spaces: We design our rooms with special touches to comfort children and put them at ease.
• Excellent kidney transplant outcomes: Our program has a 100% success rate for kidney transplants. (The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients defines success as having a patient's transplanted kidney survive and function at both the one-year and the three-year mark.) Our goal is to help children return to their normal lives as quickly and safely as possible.
• Medical interpreters: We have a Spanish-speaking nephrologist to help families understand their child’s medical care. We can also arrange interpreters for other non-English speaking patients and families.
• Multidisciplinary care and kidney expertise: We are home to the region's only pediatric nephrologists, transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, urologists and dietitians who specialize in treating kidney disease in children.
• Pediatric Nephrology Clinic: We are one of only two hospitals in Georgia offering kidney dialysis specifically for children. Our clinic is open daily to provide dialysis treatments to meet your child’s needs. If your child is enrolled in our Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program, we provide essential services to assist you before and after transplant surgery.

Our pediatric kidney care services

Children may need our services if they experience certain symptoms, including:

• Changes in how much or how often they urinate
• Lower back pain
• Odd urine (pee) color
• Swelling of the hands, feet or face

Diagnosing kidney disorders in children

To evaluate your child for potential kidney disorders, we offer both surgical and nonsurgical procedures, including:

• Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: We measure your child’s blood pressure over a 24-hour period.
• Biopsy: Using an image-guided surgical procedure, we take a sample of the kidney to examine, diagnose and determine treatment options. Typically, patients stay overnight at Wellstar Children’s after this test.
• Renal ultrasound: We use ultrasound to look at the size, shape and location of your child’s kidneys and check blood flow.

Treatment and care

We work to manage your child’s kidney disorder with medication, periodic testing and nutritional changes. Some children require more extensive care. At Wellstar Children’s, we provide:

• Dialysis: When children’s kidneys do not work properly, they may need a procedure called hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Dialysis removes extra fluid and waste from the body since the kidneys cannot do this job.
• Nutritional counseling: Registered dietitians teach you and your child what to eat and drink to keep the kidneys as healthy as possible.
• Transplant surgery: Our pediatric kidney surgeons are highly skilled and have special training to perform kidney transplants in children.

To create the best care plan, we discuss your child’s treatment options with you and empower you to take part in the planning and decision-making.

If your child needs a kidney transplant

Our pediatric surgeons consider the best timing and surgical techniques for your child’s specific needs. We offer:

• Living Kidney Donor Program: Patients who have a living donor do not need to wait as long for a transplant. We can schedule surgery after testing is complete. Kidneys from living donors may result in better outcomes.
• Minimally invasive surgery: We perform many kidney procedures using minimally invasive techniques. For example, urologists can perform minimally invasive surgery to remove a kidney from a living-related donor. This method makes the donation process more convenient. Recovery is quicker, with fewer complications.
• Preemptive transplants: When possible, we can perform kidney transplant surgery before a patient needs dialysis.

What to expect if your child needs kidney transplant surgery

Our pediatric nephrology team delivers comprehensive care and extensive support before, during and after your child’s transplant. You can expect:

• Pre-op evaluation: We conduct a thorough evaluation of each child who is a candidate for kidney transplant. We seek your family’s input to help design the best care plan for your child.
• After-transplant monitoring: After your child's transplant surgery is complete, we will monitor your child in our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Here, pediatric intensivists with specialized training closely care for your child during recovery.
• Nursing staff: Our pediatric nephrology nurses stay in close contact with families before, during and after surgery. They also function as case managers handling every aspect of your child’s care. They may:
• Organize transportation
• Set up referrals to other specialists
• Help with insurance
• Make overnight or short-term stay arrangements, as needed, for children and families at the Ronald McDonald House
• Child Life Specialists: These compassionate specialists help young patients cope with their kidney diagnoses. They explain transplant surgery and use age-appropriate words that children can understand.
• Social workers: Our social work team assists families with life challenges that may affect the overall well-being of the patient and the entire family.

Lifelong medical support services

We care about your child’s health and well-being now and in the future. Our medical specialists will follow your child’s care into adulthood to provide lifelong kidney support.

Become a Kidney Transplant Patient