Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine - HELIOS Clinic Krefeld

About the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at HELIOS Clinic Krefeld

The Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the HELIOS Clinic Krefeld offers the full range of services in these medical fields. The department specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of immunological, rheumatological diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, oncological, hematological diseases, heart diseases, diabetes and other endocrine disorders in children and adolescents. Also, treatment and care for newborns, premature babies are provided here. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. med. Tim Niehues.

The department is one of the few medical institutions in Germany with unique experience in the field of differential diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with primary immune and rheumatic diseases. In the field of immunology, the methods of treatment range from drug therapy up to surgical interventions. In rheumatic diseases, in addition to drug therapy, imaging techniques, such as MRI, or small invasive procedures, such as puncture, are often used.

In the field of gastroenterology, much attention is paid to the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with congenital or acquired intestinal insufficiency, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and functional abdominal pain.

Here are also treated many endocrine disorders, such as growth disorders (tall and short stature), impaired puberty, overweight, hirsutism (excessive hair growth in women), polycystic ovary syndrome, bone metabolism disorders, thyroid diseases, congenital diseases of the thyroid, adrenal glands, pituitary and genital organs, genetic disorders (for example, Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome), etc.

The department has an extensive experience in treating children and adolescents with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and more rare forms of pathology, for example, type 3 diabetes (for example, juvenile insulin-independent diabetes mellitus), diabetes in cystic fibrosis and diabetes in newborns. The specialists of the department provide medical care both in the initial detection of diabetes mellitus and in its complications (for example, severe hypoglycemia or chronic complications of diabetes mellitus). Treatment options include traditional insulin therapy with a syringe or an insulin pump. There is the possibility of continuous glucose measurement. A decisive role in the treatment of the disease is played by individual, group and family courses, on which patients are taught a new way of life with diabetes.

Another important focus of the department is the diagnosis and treatment of cancers, benign blood diseases in children and adolescents. In the field of pediatric oncology, the doctors of the department often have to deal with diseases, such as leukemias (for example, acute lymphocytic or myeloid leukemia), lymphomas (Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma), soft tissue tumors (for example, neuroblastomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, nephroblastomas). The most common pediatric blood diseases are anemias (for example, in iron or vitamin B12 deficiency, hemolytic anemias, hemoglobinopathies, such as thalassemia and sickle cell anemia), thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, etc.

In addition, the department provides the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases, such as urinary tract infections, urination disorders, kidney malformations, polycystic kidney disease, kidney dysfunction, kidney inflammations, kidney failure, high blood pressure due to kidney dysfunction, urinary incontinence, congenital and acquired nephropathies.

The department’s range of services is complemented by the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in children and adolescents. The treatment methods cover medical therapy, cardiac catheterization and open surgical interventions. The most characteristic are congenital and acquired heart diseases, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension and heart murmurs.

Both diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis are also offered. In addition to drug therapy, there are often used inhalation therapy, physiotherapy, consultations on nutrition.