Specialized Treatment for Childhood Liver Diseases
There are many different factors that can result in liver disease in children. That's why our specialists’ first goal is to identify the cause of your child’s liver disease. Some of the common liver diseases that affect children include:
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder that damages the liver
- Autoimmune hepatitis, liver inflammation caused by an overactive immune system
- Biliary atresia, inflammation in the bile ducts that carry digestive juices
- Glycogen storage disease, a buildup of glycogen, or sugar, in the liver
- Pediatric liver cancer
- Pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, in which fat builds up in the liver
- Pediatric metabolic liver disease, a genetic disorder that affects the body’s metabolism
- Wilson’s disease, a genetic disorder that causes copper buildup in the liver as well as liver injuries
Our pediatric liver center draws on the expertise of many different specialists to treat your child’s liver disease. Depending on your child’s individual needs, their care team may include a pediatric gastroenterologist and hepatologist as well as nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dietitians who have years of experience treating children with liver diseases. If necessary, we also draw upon the expertise of Duke specialists in genetics, immunology, metabolism, nephrology, cardiology, and infectious diseases.