Pediatric Nephrology in South Africa

This is a medical doctor who has specialized in diagnosing, treating and managing diseases and disorders of the kidney, urinary tract, and bladder. Children may be born with a kidney condition or they may acquire it through infection or disease.

Pediatric nephrologists are specially trained in caring for children with kidney diseases and disorders. Children with kidney problems have unique medical needs and even as they grow up the pediatric nephrologists help them transition to urologists and nephrologists who care for adult patients.

Children express their feelings and concerns in their own way. They may find it difficult to answer medical questions and be uncooperative during medical examinations. Pediatric nephrologists know how to examine children without alarming them.

In addition, they use medical equipment and facilities that are specially designed to be used by children. They also design and decorate their offices with cartoons, reading materials and videos for the children

Pediatric nephrologists work together as a team that includes dieticians, specialized nurses, social workers pediatric urologists, pediatric radiologists, pediatric surgeons and psychologists who are dedicated to the care of children

Pediatric nephrologists have at least 4 years of medical school, a residency in pediatric for 3 years and at least 3 years of training in pediatric nephrology.

After evaluation and diagnosis, pediatric nephrologists offer treatment and management plans for children with kidney diseases and disorders. This includes:

• Blood in the urine (hematuria)
• Protein in the urine (proteinuria)
• Bedwetting which is also called enuresis

• High blood pressure: This is also referred to as hypertension
• Dysfunctional voiding: This is a group of bladder symptoms. They may occur together and include an inability to sense when the bladder is full, frequent urination during the day, urinary accidents during the day and the urge to urinate.
• Polycystic kidney disease: This is a hereditary disorder where multiple cysts form in both kidneys
• Renal tubular acidosis: This is a condition that occurs due to an accumulation of acid in the body. This is usually because of the kidneys’ failure to properly filter urine.
• Glomerulonephritis: This is an inflammation of the glomeruli; the structures inside the kidney that help filter blood
• Nephrotic syndrome: This is when a group of symptoms occur together and include protein in the urine, edema or body swelling, high blood cholesterol and low blood protein levels
• Acute renal insufficiency: This is a sudden decrease of kidney function caused by damage, inflammation or injury
• Effects of structural birth defects in the formation of the urinary tract: Such as obstruction (blockage), vesicoureteral reflux, hydronephrosis (swollen kidney) and renal agenesis (born with one kidney)
• Fanconi syndrome: This is a disorder of the small kidney tubes. Certain substances are released into the urine instead of the bloodstream.
• Chronic kidney disease: This is a slow and progressive worsening of kidney function due to disease.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus: This is an autoimmune disease associated with kidney problems such as proteinuria, hematuria, hypertension or glomerulonephritis
• End-stage renal disease (ESRD): This is when chronic kidney disease has progressed such that the kidneys are almost completely unable to clean the blood of toxins and remove water.
• Kidney failure
• Inherited kidney diseases
• Lupus nephritis
• Kidney stones
• Urinary tract infection
• Nephrolithiasis
• Pediatric Hypertension
• Solitary Kidney

• Kidney biopsies
• Dialysis
• Kidney transplantation
• The interpretation of x-rays of the kidney
• The interpretation of laboratory studies related to kidney disease