Pediatric Services

Since its inception in 1979, the St. Joseph Hospital Pediatric Dialysis Center has been the only facility of its kind in Orange County. The Center is fully certified by California Children's Services (CCS), and is also certified at the federal and state levels as an End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) provider.

At the Pediatric Dialysis Center, children with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) receive comprehensive hemodialysis in a warm and nurturing atmosphere, where they have the opportunity to interact with other children undergoing the same treatment. The center serves children of all ages, from newborns up to age 18, when they transition to adult dialysis services.

The Center's physicians, nurses, social workers, dietitians, and child-life staff confer regularly with the child, parents, teachers and siblings to ensure that the care provided meets the child's physical, emotional and nutritional needs. The Dialysis Center also offers comprehensive training for children and their parents when at-home dialysis treatment is appropriate.