Nephrology is the medical specialty concerned with the kidneys.

According to the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) each year in the US:

• 1,200,000 children develop urinary tract infections, more than one-third of which has vesicoureteral reflux, a specific obstruction of the urinary tract.
  
• 300,000 children will develop disorders that cause blood and protein to leak into their urine, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome and glomerulonephritis.
  
• 20,000 children are born with kidney abnormalities.
  
• 4,500 children and teenagers will require dialysis for renal failure.
  
• 2,000 infants will not survive due to a disease of the genitourinary system.

Many diseases of the genitourinary system in children are present when a child is born. This poses unique challenges that are vastly different from adults with kidney disease.

Because the genitourinary system is so complex, involving many systems in the body, a child with a genitourinary disorder may require a number of specialists to participate in his/her care. The following is a list of specialists that may be involved in your child's care.

• pediatric nephrologist
• pediatric urologist
• pediatrician
• pediatric surgeons
• transplant surgeons
• perinatologist
• geneticists
• pediatric radiologist
• neurodevelopmental specialists
• nutritionists
• social workers
• psychologists
• pediatric nurses

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