Comprehensive Pediatric Kidney Care

For being so tiny, a child's kidneys are mighty organs. They are responsible for removing wastes and excess water from the blood, regulating blood pressure, sodium and potassium levels and making hormones responsible for growth and red blood cells. Conditions such as birth defects and other hereditary diseases can cause the kidneys to stop working.

For those afflicted with end-stage renal disease, transplantation is the optimal treatment. More than 10,000 patients in Texas are on the waiting list for kidneys. More than 100 are under the age of 18.* In most cases, children must undergo dialysis, an artificial blood filtration method, while awaiting a suitable donor.

The dedicated staff at Driscoll Children's Hospital Kidney Transplant Program and Kidney Center is committed to enhancing the quality of life for children in need of dialysis, guiding them through every step of their transplant journey, beginning with the wait for a donor. Our program caters to recipients ranging from 1 to 24 years old, and we’ve successfully performed over 129 pediatric kidney transplants. With on-site pediatric dialysis services in Corpus Christi and McAllen, Texas, we make quality, comprehensive care accessible for South Texas infants and children with end-stage renal disease.

From diagnosis and pre-transplant testing and counseling to transplant surgery and recovery, Driscoll provides ongoing care and support, ensuring that young patients with donor kidneys thrive well into adulthood.

*This information is based on OPTN (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network) data as of 1/25/2022.