The Pediatric Dialysis Unit at Rush Children’s Hospital provides modern operating and patient care facilities and talented teams of surgeons, pediatric subspecialists, nurses, technicians and support staff, all with extensive experience in the care of children with renal disease.

Of special importance is the availability of experts in vascular and transplant surgery, urology and renal pathology to assist with diagnosis and management of children with kidney problems. The dialysis unit services newborns, infants, children and adolescents up to the age of 20.

The unit provides the following:

• Outpatient chronic maintenance of peritoneal and hemodialysis
• Inpatient acute peritoneal dialysis using manual or automated equipment
• Inpatient acute hemodialysis, hemoperfusion and hemofiltration
• Home training for peritoneal dialysis using manual or automated equipment
• Educational support and psychosocial services as provided by the multidisciplinary team
• Assessments of pediatric growth and development

Our team includes dedicated dialysis nurses, psychologists, a dietitian with expertise in nutritional problems common to childhood kidney disease, and a renal social worker with expertise in children’s kidney disease along with expertise in their educational needs.

Child life specialists dedicated to meeting the growth and development needs of all patients provide activities during treatment, coordinate unit events and assist with other patient needs.