What is a Pediatric Urologist?
Pediatric urologists are surgeons who can diagnose, treat, and manage children’s urinary and genital problems.
If your child has an illness or disease of the genitals or urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder), a pediatric urologist has the experience and qualifications to treat your child.
What Kind of Training Do Pediatric Urologists Have?
Pediatric urologists undergo extensive training to specialize in the care of children's urological needs. Their training includes:
- At least 4 years of medical school
- One to 2 years of surgical residency
- At least 4 additional years of residency training in general urology
- One to 3 years of additional fellowship training in pediatric urology
- A pediatric urologist must devote a minimum of 75% of his or her practice to urological problems of infants, children, and adolescents
What Types of Treatments Do Pediatric Urologists Provide?
Pediatric urologists provide a wide range of treatments, including:
- Evaluation and management of voiding disorders, vesicoureteral reflux, and urinary tract infections that require surgery
- Surgical reconstruction of the urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder) including genital abnormalities, hypospadias, and disorders of sex development
- Surgery for groin conditions in childhood and adolescence (undescended testes, hydrocele/hernia, varicocele)
- Evaluation and surgical management of kidney stone disease
- Surgical management of tumors and malignancies of the kidney, bladder, and testis
- Evaluation and management of urological tract problems identified before birth
- Evaluation and management of urinary tract problems associated with neurological conditions such as spina bifida
Why Choose a Pediatric Urologist?
Children are not just small adults. They cannot always say what is bothering them, answer medical questions, or be patient and cooperative during a medical examination.
Pediatric urologists are trained to focus care on the special needs of children and their parents, even on potentially sensitive and embarrassing topics related to genitalia and voiding problems. They know how to examine and treat children in a way that makes them relaxed and cooperative. Additionally, pediatric urologists use equipment specially designed for children, helping create a comfortable and non-threatening environment for your child.
If your pediatrician suggests that your child see a pediatric urologist, you can be assured that they have the widest range of treatment options, the most extensive and comprehensive training, and the greatest expertise in treating children’s urinary tract disorders.