Pediatric Nephrology
The Nephrology program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta provides comprehensive care to infants, children and adolescents with acute as well as chronic kidney disorders, high blood pressure, and fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Our multidisciplinary approach has made our program one of the premier pediatric nephrology programs in the country. We provide expert care, improved treatments through our research efforts and training of future pediatric nephrologists.
Highlights
- Our end-stage renal disease (ESRD) program offers lifesaving dialysis at Georgia’s only pediatric dialysis unit.
- In 2008, our team managed an average of 45 dialysis patients a month, one of the largest experiences in the country.
- Since its inception in 1980, our kidney transplant program is one of only a few centers in the country to have performed more than 400 pediatric kidney transplants.
What is Nephrology?
Nephrology is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the kidneys. Pediatric nephrology is the branch of nephrology focusing exclusively on the needs and disorders of children and adolescents. Other health professionals who treat kidney problems include primary care physicians, pediatricians and urologists.
What is the difference between nephrologists and urologists?
The difference between nephrologists and urologists is sometimes confusing.
- Nephrologists are medical specialists who focus on disorders that affect the way the kidneys work and prescribe nonsurgical medical treatments for these disorders.
- Urologists are surgical specialists who focus on structural disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract (i.e. the bladder and genital organs) and operate when necessary to correct such conditions.
The roles of nephrologists and urologists often overlap and they work together on conditions having both medical and surgical requirements.