Consumer Interest
Treatment Choices > Children (Pediatrics)
Kidney disease affects children of all ages as well as adults.
Children may be started on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis with the parents as the partners who are trained to perform the therapy. The machines are the same but the sizes of the tubing and solutions are smaller to fit the size of the child.
Peritoneal dialysis is usually chosen first if medically possible to allow the child the daytime freedom to attend school and socialize with his/ her peers.
Transplantation is the treatment of choice for children. Children are placed on the transplant list right away if the parents or siblings are not able to donate a kidney.