National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

Treatment Methods for

Kidney Failure in Children

Kidneys play an important part in

a child’s growth and health.

They

■ remove wastes and extra water from

the blood

■ regulate blood pressure

■ balance chemicals like sodium and

potassium

■ make a hormone that signals bone

marrow to make red blood cells

■ make a hormone to help bones grow

and keep them strong

Kidney failure can lead directly to more

health problems, like swelling of the

body, bone deformities, and growth failure. A successful kidney transplant can

give a child with chronic kidney failure

the best chance to grow normally and

lead a full, active life. Dialysis can help

a child to survive an acute episode of

kidney failure or to stay healthy until a

donated kidney becomes available.

Families caring for a child with kidney

disease often need help—not just from

doctors and nurses, but from a whole

team of pediatric specialists, including

dietitians, social workers, and family

counselors. Learning about treatments

for kidney disease and getting to know

the entire team can make life easier for

your child and your entire family.

Problems Specific to Children

Everyone who has kidney failure, adults

and children alike, will experience medical complications, which may include

extreme fatigue, inability to concentrate, weak bones, nerve damage,

depression, and sleep problems. Additional problems for children can include

U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services

The kidneys remove wastes and extra water from the

blood to form urine. Urine flows from the kidneys to

the bladder through the ureters.

Kidneys

Bladder

Ureters
effects on their growth and development.

Children may fall behind on the growth chart

and in school.

The isolation people feel because of kidney

failure is especially a problem in children and

adolescents because of the importance of making friends and fitting in at this age. Finding

the best treatment for a child takes on special

significance to ensure that the child with kidney failure can become an active, productive,

well-adjusted adult.

Treatment Choices for Kidney Failure

in Children

Children usually have a range of treatment

options for kidney failure. In most cases, the

goal is to have a successful transplant that

allows your child to lead the most normal life

possible. But viable kidneys are not always

readily available, and not all children can have

a transplant. Many children begin with dialysis to stay healthy until a suitable kidney

becomes available. Sometimes, a transplant

itself may stop working, and the child may

need to return to dialysis. Knowing about

transplantation and dialysis will prepare you

and your child for any circumstance.

Transplantation

Transplantation means that a healthy kidney

from a donor is placed inside a child’s body to

take over the job of filtering wastes and extra

fluid from the blood. The donor may be a

stranger who has just died or a living family

member or friend.

Once kidneys fail because of chronic kidney

disease, function cannot be restored, so transplantation is the closest thing to a cure we

have. A child with a transplant will still need

to take medicines every day, follow a restricted

diet, and get regular checkups to make sure

the new kidney is accepted and functioning in

the body.

In adults, most transplanted kidneys come

from people who have just died. However,

about half of the kidney transplants in

children come from a living donor, usually

a parent or other close family member.

Deceased Donor Kidneys

To receive a deceased donor kidney, your child

will be placed on a waiting list. Every person

who needs an organ from a deceased donor is

registered with the United Network for Organ

Sharing (UNOS), which maintains a centralized computer network linking all regional

organ gathering organizations and transplant

centers. (See the Resources section at the end

of this fact sheet.)

How long your child will have to wait for a

transplant depends on many things but is

determined primarily by how good the match

is between your child and a donor. When a

kidney becomes available, the hospital that has

obtained the kidney reports to UNOS, where

the central computer generates a list of compatible recipients. Candidates’ ages and length

of time they have waited are factors in the

point system. Children 18 and under get extra

2

Kidney transplantation

Bladder

Diseased kidneys

Artery

Vein

Transplanted

kidney

Transplanted ureter
points compared with adults because they are

likely to receive the greatest benefit from a

donated kidney.

Living Donor Kidneys

About half of the kidneys transplanted into

children are donated by family members—

usually a parent—or a family friend. Potential

donors need to be tested for matching factors

and to make sure that donating a kidney will

not endanger their health. Most people can

donate a kidney with little risk.

A kidney from a living donor often has advantages over a kidney from a person who has just

died.

■ A kidney from a parent is guaranteed to

match on at least three of six proteins;

mismatched proteins may cause rejection.

■ Living donation allows for greater preparation and for the operation to be scheduled.

■ A kidney from a living donor may be in better condition because it does not have to be

transported from one site to another.

Preemptive Transplantation

Preemptive transplantation means that the

child receives a donated kidney before dialysis

is needed. Some studies indicate that preemptive transplantation reduces the chances of

rejecting the new kidney and improves the

chances that it will function for a long time.

Other studies show little or no survival advantage in preemptive transplants, although some

families may feel that avoiding dialysis is an

advantage in itself.

Keeping a Healthy Kidney

Health professionals use the term “noncompliance” or “nonadherence” to describe a

patient’s failure or refusal to take prescribed

medicines or follow a doctor’s directions.

Teenagers with transplanted organs are often

noncompliant because the immunosuppressive

drugs they must take change their appearance

in unflattering ways. A child psychologist may

be able to suggest techniques that reinforce

desired behaviors. But communicating clearly

about the reasons for treatment and the

importance of following the regimen is an

important part of helping all patients, including children. Children who understand that

their decisions can affect their health are more

likely to take responsibility for their actions.

For more information about transplantation

procedures, see the National Institute of

Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

(NIDDK) booklet Treatment Methods for

Kidney Failure: Transplantation.

3

While your child is on the waiting list, notify the

transplant center of any changes in health status,

address, or phone number. The center will need

to find you immediately when a kidney becomes

available.
Dialysis

The kidneys remove waste products and extra

water from the blood. If the kidneys fail

before transplantation is possible, your child

may need some form of dialysis to do this job.

Each type of dialysis will affect your family’s

lifestyle. Your doctor will help you choose the

one that is best for your child. Each situation

is different.

Peritoneal Dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your

child’s abdomen, called the peritoneal membrane, to filter blood. A mixture of minerals

and sugar dissolved in water, called dialysis

solution, is inserted into your child’s abdomen

through a soft tube. The sugar, called dextrose, draws wastes, chemicals, and extra

water from the tiny blood vessels in the peritoneal membrane into the dialysis solution.

After some time, the used solution—now

loaded with the wastes and extra fluid that the

kidneys would have filtered out—is drained

from your child’s abdomen through the tube.

The period that dialysis solution is in the

abdomen is called the dwell time. The

abdomen is filled again with fresh dialysis

solution, and the cycle repeats. The process of

emptying and refilling the abdomen is called

an exchange and takes about 30 to 40 minutes.

Before the first treatment, a surgeon will place

a small, soft tube called a catheter into your

child’s abdomen. The catheter tends to work

better if the insertion site has time—usually

from 10 days to 3 weeks—to heal. The

catheter stays there to help transport dialysis

solution to and from the abdomen and is

removed only after a successful transplant 

is in place.

Peritoneal dialysis can be done with or without

a cycling machine.

■ Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

(CAPD). CAPD requires no machine and

can be done in any clean, well-lit place.

With CAPD, your child’s blood is always

being cleaned. The dialysis solution passes

from a plastic bag through the catheter and

into the abdomen, where it stays for several

hours with the catheter sealed. After the

dwell time, the child drains the dialysis

solution into a drain bag for disposal.

Then the same catheter is used to refill the

abdomen with fresh solution so the cleaning process can begin again. With CAPD,

the dialysis solution stays in the abdomen

for 4 to 6 hours or more. Most people

change the dialysis solution at least four

times a day and sleep with solution in their

abdomen at night. With CAPD, it is not

necessary to perform an exchange during

the night.

■ Continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis

(CCPD). CCPD uses a machine called

a cycler to fill and empty your child’s

abdomen many times at night during sleep.

In the morning, the child begins one

4

Peritoneal dialysis

Dialysate

Catheter

Peritoneum

Abdominal

cavity
exchange with a dwell time that lasts the

entire day. An additional exchange without

the cycler may be added in the middle of

the afternoon to increase the amount of

waste removed and to reduce the amount

of fluid left behind.

Both types of peritoneal dialysis can be performed in the home without help from a nurse

or doctor. If your child is very young, you will

need to help with the exchanges or set up the

cycler. Older children can do it themselves.

You and your child will receive detailed

instructions and extensive training so you feel

confident when you perform the exchanges.

The most common problem with peritoneal

dialysis is peritonitis, a serious abdominal

infection that can occur if the opening where

the catheter enters the body becomes infected

or if contamination occurs as the catheter is

connected or disconnected from the bags.

Peritonitis requires antibiotic treatment prescribed by your child’s nephrologist.

For more information about peritoneal dialysis, see the NIDDK booklet Treatment Methods

for Kidney Failure: Peritoneal Dialysis.

Hemodialysis

In hemodialysis, your child’s blood is sent

through a filter to remove harmful wastes,

extra salt, and extra water. Hemodialysis

helps control blood pressure and keep the

proper balance of potassium, sodium, calcium,

and bicarbonate.

Hemodialysis uses a special filter called a dialyzer. During treatment, blood travels from

the child’s body through tubes into the dialyzer, which filters out wastes and extra water.

Then the cleaned blood flows through another

set of tubes back into the child’s body. The

dialyzer is connected to a machine that monitors blood flow and disposes of the wastes.

Hemodialysis usually takes place in a clinic

three times a week, but it may be required

more often in smaller children. Each treatment lasts from 3 to 4 hours. Some clinics

offer home hemodialysis, which allows more

flexibility in scheduling but requires the caregiver to take weeks of training. During treatment, the child can do homework, read, write,

sleep, talk, or watch TV.

If you choose hemodialysis, the doctor will

need to create an access to the bloodstream

(vascular access) several months before the

first treatment. The child may be able to complete the procedure for the vascular access in

5

Hemodialysis

To avoid peritonitis, you must be careful to

follow the correct procedures exactly and learn

to recognize the early signs—fever, unusual

color or cloudiness of the used fluid, and

redness or pain around the catheter. Report

these signs to your child’s doctor immediately

so treatment for infection can begin promptly.

Hemodialyzer

(where filtering takes place)

Filtered blood flows back

to body

Unfiltered blood flows

to dialyzer

Hemodialysis

machine
one day or may need to stay overnight in the

hospital.

For more information, see the NIDDK fact

sheet Vascular Access for Hemodialysis.

When a child starts hemodialysis, problems

can be caused by rapid changes in the body’s

water and chemical balance during treatment.

Muscle cramps and a sudden drop in blood

pressure are two common side effects. Low

blood pressure, called hypotension, can make

a child feel weak, dizzy, or nauseated.

Most children need a few months to adjust to

hemodialysis. Side effects can often be treated

quickly and easily, so you should always report

them to your doctor and dialysis staff. You

can avoid many side effects by making sure

your child gets a proper diet, limits liquid

intake, and takes all medicines as directed.

See page 7 for more information on how the

right food choices can help.

For more information about hemodialysis, see

the NIDDK booklet Treatment Methods for

Kidney Failure: Hemodialysis.

Role of the Health Care Team

Because the treatments for kidney failure

involve complicated procedures with a number

of steps, many skilled professionals must work

together to ensure that your child gets the best

possible care. As a parent or guardian, you are

the most important member of your child’s

team. You may need to speak for your child

or ask questions when instructions are not

clear. Knowing the roles of the different team

members can help you ask the right questions

and contribute to your child’s care.

Pediatrician

A pediatrician is a doctor who treats children.

Your child’s pediatrician is likely to be the first

to recognize a kidney problem—either during

a routine physical exam or while treating an

ailment. Depending on how well the kidneys

are working, the doctor may decide to monitor your child or advise you to see a specialist.

(Your health insurance plan may require a

written referral from the pediatrician in order

for you to make an appointment with a specialist.) As your child’s regular doctor, the

pediatrician should talk with any specialists

who become involved. A referral for consultation should optimally occur soon after chronic

kidney disease is diagnosed, even if dialysis

and transplantation are still a long way off.

Nephrologist

A nephrologist is a doctor who treats kidney

diseases and kidney failure. If possible, your

child should see a pediatric nephrologist

because they are specifically trained to take

care of kidney problems in children. In many

areas of the country, pediatric nephrologists

are in short supply, so you and your child may

need to travel. If traveling is not possible,

some nephrologists who treat adults can also

treat children in consultation with a pediatric

nephrologist.

The nephrologist may prescribe treatments to

slow disease progression and will determine

when referral to a transplant center or to a

dialysis clinic is appropriate.

Dialysis Nurse

If your child needs dialysis, a nurse with special training will make sure all procedures are

followed carefully. If you and your child

choose peritoneal dialysis, the dialysis nurse

will train you so you feel comfortable doing

the exchanges at home. For hemodialysis in a

clinic, the dialysis nurse will make sure that all

needles are placed correctly and watch for any

problems. The dialysis nurse can talk to you

about the advantages and disadvantages of the

different types of dialysis and explain the laboratory reports that indicate how well the treatments are working.

6
Transplant Coordinator

A coordinator at the transplantation center

will be your main contact. He or she will

schedule any required examinations and procedures and make sure your child’s medical

information is complete and properly placed

on the UNOS national waiting list. The transplant coordinator will make sure that every

member of the child’s health care team has all

the necessary information and paperwork.

Social Worker

Every dialysis clinic and transplant center has

a social worker who can help you locate financial assistance and social services like transportation or family counseling and help with

applications for Medicare. The social worker

can tell you about support groups in your

community and ways to reduce the stress that

caring for a child with a chronic illness can

cause.

Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Counselor

Kidney disease can disrupt a child’s life and

create emotional turmoil. A psychologist or

counselor can help your child find ways to

express emotions constructively. Adults and

siblings may also find that counseling helps

them with the conflicts and stresses they face.

For example, medical bills can strain family

finances. A parent or guardian may need to

give up work to care for the child full-time.

Siblings may feel resentment over the huge

amount of attention given to their sibling and

guilt over thinking bad thoughts about the sick

child. Couples sometimes report increased tension in their marriage when a child is sick. A

counselor can help families deal with conflicts

that may arise, and social workers or financial

counselors can help families meet the financial

obligations that chronic illness creates.

Dietitian

When the kidneys stop working, wastes and

excess fluid build up in the body and create

chemical and hormonal imbalances. In children, however, these problems are especially

troublesome because they can interfere with

physical growth and mental development.

Avoiding certain foods can help minimize

the buildup of wastes and prevent chemical

imbalance, but it can also lead to nutritional

deficiencies. The buildup of wastes often

makes children lose their appetite, causing

further nutritional problems. These complications are the reason your clinic’s dietitian

is so important.

Proper nutrition is extremely important for

children with chronic kidney disease. Every

dialysis clinic has a dietitian to help patients

understand how the food they eat affects their

health. The dietitian can help you develop

meal plans that will fit your child’s restricted

diet and will talk with you about laboratory

reports that may show nutritional deficiencies

caused by your child’s kidney disease. They

may recommend special dietary supplements

or formulas so that your child receives the best

nutrition possible.

You can also ask your dietitian for recipes and

titles of cookbooks for patients with kidney

disease. Following the restrictions of a kidney

disease diet might be hard at first, but with a

little creativity, you can make tasty and satisfying meals. Reading Eat Right to Feel Right on

Hemodialysis, a booklet from the NIDDK, can

help you get started.

Vaccinations and Immunosuppression

The wastes and toxins that build up in the

bloodstream of a child with kidney disease

can weaken the immune system and make the

child vulnerable to infections and the kinds of

diseases that vaccines are designed to prevent.

Children with kidney failure should receive

7
the standard vaccinations recommended for all

children, plus additional vaccinations for

pneumonia and influenza.

Children who take immunosuppressive medication to treat an autoimmune disease or to

prevent rejection of a transplanted kidney,

however, should not receive vaccines containing live viruses, that is, the oral polio vaccine,

the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, or the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine.

Children who are likely to need a transplant

may benefit from early immunization with

these vaccines before immunosuppressive

drugs are needed.

The body’s immune system protects against

foreign substances like bacteria and viruses

that can cause disease. But the immune system

also attacks transplanted organs, and the medicines that recipients must take to prevent

rejection leave them vulnerable to infections.

Children need relatively higher doses of

immunosuppressive drugs than adults because

their immune systems are more active. But

these high doses can slow down growth and

development. Over a long period of time,

immunosuppression may lead to malignant

growths. Immunosuppressive drugs can also

have side effects such as weight gain, unusual

hair growth, and acne. Children, especially

teenagers, cite these side effects as the reason

they do not take their pills, a problem that

contributes to the high rate of organ rejection

in children.

Medical Complications of

Kidney Failure

The kidneys not only clean waste and extra

fluid from the blood, they also help make red

blood cells and balance nutrients needed for

strong bones and growth. In addition, the kidneys may play a role in the metabolism of

growth hormone (somatotropin). Chronic

kidney disease can make children feel more

tired, limit physical growth, and interfere with

their ability to concentrate in school.

Anemia

Diseased kidneys do not make enough of a

hormone called erythropoietin, or EPO, which

stimulates the bone marrow to produce the

red blood cells needed to carry oxygen to vital

organs. Anemia is a shortage of red blood

cells, and it is common in children with kidney

disease. A child with anemia may tire easily

and look pale. Anemia may also contribute to

heart problems. A genetically engineered form

of EPO injected under the skin one or more

times a week can treat this form of anemia.

For more information, see the NIDDK fact

sheet Anemia in Kidney Disease and Dialysis.

Bone Problems and Growth Failure

The kidneys help keep bones healthy by

balancing phosphorus and calcium levels in

the blood. When the kidneys stop working

normally, phosphorus levels in the blood can

become high and interfere with bone formation and normal growth.

Your child’s doctor may recommend dietary

changes and food supplements to treat growth

failure. Dietary changes may include limiting

foods that contain large amounts of phosphorus, such as milk, cheese, cola, dried beans,

peas, and nuts. Since avoiding all of these

foods is impossible, caregivers will need to

work with a dietitian to find a healthy way to

limit the phosphorus in the child’s diet while

maintaining a desirable intake of the calories,

protein, and other nutrients necessary to maintain growth and general health. In addition to

dietary restrictions, most children will need to

take specific medications called phosphate

binders to lower their blood phosphorus levels.

For more information, see the NIDDK fact

sheet Growth Failure in Children With Kidney

Disease.

8
Financial Help for Treatment

of Kidney Failure

No matter what treatment method your family

chooses, medical expenses will be high. Fortunately, the Federal Government and many

other organizations offer programs to help

with the cost of treatments.

Medicare

In 1972, Congress passed legislation making

people with permanent kidney failure, no

matter what their age, eligible for Medicare, a

program that helps people over 65 and people

with disabilities pay for medical care.

Role of the Social Worker

Your child’s dialysis or transplant center has

a social worker who can help you apply for

Medicare and locate other sources of financial

assistance. For more information about

Medicare and other organizations that can

help, see the NIDDK fact sheet Financial Help

for Treatment of Kidney Failure.

Hope Through Research

Through its Division of Kidney, Urologic, and

Hematologic Diseases, the NIDDK supports

several programs and studies devoted to

improving treatment for patients with progressive kidney disease and kidney failure. The

NIDDK maintains the Pediatric Nephrology

Program, which supports research into the

causes, treatment, and prevention of kidney

diseases in children, including congenital

malformations of the urinary tract, polycystic

disease, primary glomerular disease, and postinfection glomerulonephritis.

Resources

Websites

Several agencies and organizations maintain

informative websites for people with kidney

disease. The following sites are designed

specifically for children and their parents or

guardians:

MEDLINEplus: Kidney Diseases (General)

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

kidneydiseasesgeneral.html

The National Library of Medicine maintains

MEDLINEplus, a resource providing health

information for consumers. The page on kidney diseases contains links to news articles and

fact sheets about kidney diseases under many

headings, including “Children.”

The Nemours Foundation’s KidsHealth.org

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/kidney/

chronic_kidney_disease.html

http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/things/

dialysis.html

The Nemours Foundation supports children’s

hospitals in Delaware and Florida. The KidsHealth website includes articles on many

health topics written for parents, teenagers,

and young children. The pages listed above

contain “When Your Child Has a Chronic

Kidney Disease” and “What’s the Deal With

Dialysis?”—an article written for children.

You can click on “Related Articles” and find

several more KidsHealth pages devoted to

kidney diseases and their treatments.

National Kidney Foundation: Children With

Chronic Kidney Diseases: Tips for Parents

http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=52

The National Kidney Foundation has developed many programs to help support and

educate patients and their families. This page

contains “Children With Chronic Kidney Disease: Tips for Parents,” which is also available

in brochure form (see Additional Reading).

9
Kidney Directions: KD Kids

www.kidneydirections.com/us/kdkids/

index.htm

The Kidney Directions website was developed

by a manufacturer of dialysis equipment. The

KD Kids page offers information for parents

and children about kidney disease and its

complications.

Nephkids Cyber-Support Group for Parents

of Children With Kidney Disease

http://cnserver0.nkf.med.ualberta.ca/nephkids

Nephkids is a listserv, an interactive email

group for parents of children with various

chronic kidney diseases.

Organizations

Several groups offer information and services

to patients with kidney disease. You may wish

to contact one of the following:

American Association of Kidney Patients

3505 East Frontage Road

Suite 315

Tampa, FL 33607

Phone: 1–800–749–2257 or 813–636–8100

Email: info@aakp.org

Internet: www.aakp.org

American Kidney Fund

6110 Executive Boulevard

Suite 1010

Rockville, MD 20852

Phone: 1–800–638–8299 or 301–881–3052

Email: helpline@akfinc.org

Internet: www.kidneyfund.org

American Society of Pediatric Nephrology

Northwestern University

Feinberg School of Medicine

Pediatrics W140

303 East Chicago Avenue

Chicago, IL 60611–3008

Phone: 312–503–4000

Email: aspn@northwestern.edu

Internet: www.aspneph.com

Life Options Rehabilitation Program

c/o Medical Education Institute Inc.

414 D’Onofrio Drive

Suite 200

Madison, WI 53719

Phone: 1–800–468–7777 or 608–232–2333

Email: lifeoptions@MEIresearch.org

Internet: www.lifeoptions.org

www.kidneyschool.org

National Kidney Foundation

30 East 33rd Street

New York, NY 10016

Phone: 1–800–622–9010 or 212–889–2210

Email: info@kidney.org

Internet: www.kidney.org

United Network for Organ Sharing

P.O. Box 2484

Richmond, VA 23218

Phone: 1–888–894–6361

Internet: www.unos.org

Additional Reading

If you would like to learn more about kidney

failure and its treatment, you may be interested in reading these publications:

Adventure at Riverside Park: A Story

About Pediatric Dialysis

This story describes a young girl’s experiences

and emotions as a peritoneal dialysis patient.

The book introduces the members of the

health care team and explains the role each

plays in dialysis treatment.

National Kidney Foundation of Indiana, Inc.

850 North Meridian Street

Suite 203

Indianapolis, IN 46204–1108

Phone: 1–800–382–9971

Internet: www.kidneyindiana.org

10
Children With Chronic Kidney Disease: 

Tips for Parents

Nutrition and Peritoneal Dialysis

National Kidney Foundation

30 East 33rd Street

New York, NY 10016

Phone: 1–800–622–9010 or 212–889–2210

Internet: www.kidney.org

Kidney Disease in Children

Kidneys for Kids

“The Kid,” a booklet written for children 

with kidney disease

Diet Guide for the CAPD Patient

American Kidney Fund

6110 Executive Boulevard

Suite 1010

Rockville, MD 20852

Phone: 1–800–638–8299 or 301–881–3052

Email: helpline@akfinc.org

Internet: www.akfinc.org

Medicare Coverage of Kidney Dialysis and

Kidney Transplant Services

Publication Number CMS–10128

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

7500 Security Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21244–1850

Phone: 1–800–MEDICARE 

(1–800–633–4227)

TDD: 1–877–486–2048

Internet: www.medicare.gov

Financing Transplantation: What Every

Patient Needs to Know, 2nd edition, 1996

United Network for Organ Sharing

P.O. Box 2484

Richmond, VA 23218

Phone: 1–888–894–6361 to order 

single copies

804–782–4841 to order bulk copies

Internet: www.unos.org

Newsletters and Magazines

Family Focus Newsletter (published quarterly)

National Kidney Foundation

30 East 33rd Street

New York, NY 10016

Phone: 1–800–622–9010 or 212–889–2210

Internet: www.kidney.org

For Patients Only Magazine 

(published six times a year)

20335 Ventura Boulevard

Suite 400

Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Phone: 818–704–5555

Renalife Magazine (published quarterly)

American Association of Kidney Patients

3505 East Frontage Road

Suite 315

Tampa, FL 33607

Phone: 1–800–749–2257 or 813–636–8100

Email: help@aakp.org

Internet: www.aakp.org

11
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 06–5082

April 2006

National Kidney and Urologic

Diseases Information Clearinghouse

3 Information Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3580

Phone: 1–800–891–5390

Fax: 703–738–4929

Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet: www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov

The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases

Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a

service of the National Institute of Diabetes

and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes

of Health under the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services. Established in 1987, the

Clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to

their families, health care professionals, and the

public. The NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works

closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate

resources about kidney and urologic diseases.

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are

carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists

and outside experts. The NKUDIC would like

to thank Barbara Fivush, M.D., and Kathy Jabs,

M.D., of the American Society of Pediatric

Nephrology (ASPN), for coordinating the

review of this fact sheet by the ASPN’s Clinical

Affairs Committee: Tej Mattoo, M.D., William

Primack, M.D., Joseph Flynn, M.D., Ira Davis,

M.D., Ann Guillott, M.D., Steve Alexander,

M.D., Deborah Kees-Folts, M.D., Alicia Neu,

M.D., Steve Wassner, M.D., John Brandt, M.D.,

Manju Chandra, M.D. Frederick Kaskel, M.D.,

Ph.D., President, ASPN, and Sharon Andreoli,

M.D., Secretary–Treasurer, ASPN, also provided

comments and coordination.

This publication is not copyrighted. The

Clearinghouse encourages users of this fact

sheet to duplicate and distribute as many

copies as desired.

This fact sheet is also available at 

www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov.