Division of

PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY

AND

HYPERTENSION

Lynn Weiss, M.D., Division Chief                 Hilary Hotchkiss, M.D.

Telephone: 732-235-7880

Fax: 732-236-6620

The Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension provides outpatient care in our offices and inpatient care at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

What do the KIDNEYS do?

 The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs lying on either side of the spine. They excrete urine and perform several vital functions for the body. Kidneys clean waste materials from the body and maintain the balance of salt and water. In children, the kidneys are important for the growth and development of bones. They help prevent anemia and regulate blood pressure.

What causes KIDNEY problems?

Both minor and serious kidney problems can occur at any age. Because the kidneys help regulate blood pressure, diseases of the kidney are the most common cause of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Kidney diseases in children may be due to the abnormal development of the urinary tract in the womb or due to inflammation during childhood or adolescence. Some children inherit kidney problems. Infections, poisons and some types of medications can cause kidney problems, as can diseases such as lupus, diabetes or hypertension. Sometimes the cause of kidney disease is not known.

Signs of KIDNEY problems

 Blood or protein in the urine, elevated blood pressure, recurrent urinary tract infections, swelling of the ankles or around the eyes, anemia and pallor, poor appetite and poor growth. Many children have no symptoms at all until their kidney disease is advance.

who we are

 Pediatric nephrologists are pediatricians who specialize in the care of infants, children and teenagers with kidney problems. Together with our team of pediatric experts, we diagnose and treat the full spectrum of kidney disease and hypertension from infancy through adolescence.

We specialize in the care of:

•  Urinary tract infection
• Hypertension
• Blood in the urine (hematuria)
• Protein in the urine (proteinuria)
• Fluid and electrolyte imbalances
• Kidney stones
• Cystic disease of the kidneys
• Nephritis and nephrosis
• Diabetes and kidney disease
• Kidney failure

 What we offer

• Onsite nutritional counseling
• Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
• Experienced pediatric transplant team
• Children's Dialysis Center
• Teaching and research
• Available expertise in all pediatric subspecialties
• Highly trained pediatric urologists
• State-of-the-art pediatric intensive care unit

The pediatric nephrologists at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital are supported by a team that includes urologists, radiologists, endocrinologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, social workers, dietitians and pharmacists all specializing in the care of children. We have an extensive Child Life program to help children understand what is happing to them and to become partners in their recovery.

DIALYSIS

When a child's kidneys fail, he or she requires dialysis until a kidney becomes available for transplantation. Some children with temporary kidney failure will need dialysis until their own kidneys begin functioning again.

We are experts in all forms of dialysis and provide the care that works best for any child. In most medical centers children are dialyzed together with adults. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital has a dialysis center for children and teenagers.

 TRANSPLANTATION

If a child's kidneys fail to work, a successfully transplanted kidney will permit the child to develop and live a healthy life. Kidney transplants come from living or deceased donors.

Kidney transplantation in children has become much more successful over the last few years, but requires the hard work, skill and dedication of a team of transplant professionals, as well as the dedication of the family.

At The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital , we have a team that includes transplant surgeons and experienced pediatric nephrologists. Because we are a research center and teaching hospital, we participate in nationwide clinical studies that improve quality of care for young patients.