The therapeutic approach to the infant, child, and adolescent with end-stage renal disease.

Factors involved in choosing a treatment modality for the infant, child, and adolescent with ESRD differ from those used when counseling an adult patient. Age at the time ESRD develops, mental status, psychosocial status, and the primary renal disease must be taken into consideration when contemplating the optimal therapeutic modality for the pediatric patient with ESRD. The ideal approach to optimize growth in the pediatric patient with ESRD remains to be delineated.