Pediatric nephrology is the study and treatment of children with kidney disorders. A pediatric nephrologist is a physician who diagnoses and manages kidney disease and kidney function in infants, children and adolescents. This specialist consults with a surgeon regarding a young patient’s kidney transplantation, and will help manage blood pressure, fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, and dialysis procedures. This physician has special training in dialysis physiology, management of renal failure, pharmacology, hypertension, nutrition, and development of the kidney and urinary tract in children.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Indiana has 8 practicing pediatric nephrologists. Broken out by city, pediatric nephrology doctor density in Bedford is 1, in Fort Wayne is 1, in Indianapolis is 5, in Merrillville is 1, and in Newburgh is 1.

Indiana’s population is 6,271,973, and most of the state’s population is located in the north, near the Lake Michigan shoreline, and is part of the greater metro Chicago area. Indiana became a state in 1816, and boasts many historical sites and covered bridges, numerous state parks and forests, hunting and fishing, and a variety of golf courses. Centrally located Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hosting the world-famous 500-mile auto race every year. This capital and largest city of Indiana also hosts a Civil War museum, a planetarium, and the Indiana Historical Society, among many other attractions.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Indiana has a population of 6,271,973. Of this population, 1,566,280 are under the age of 18 and 774,303 are at or above the age of 65.