A characteristic feature of our work is that we are careful to administer gentle and child appropriate methods of diagnosis and therapy. Above all, this includes painless measures, age-appropriate preparation and support, psychological counselling of the patient and the implementation of principles that are consistent with breastfeeding and the requirements of babies. Depending on capacities, we believe it is self-evident that a parent or another companion should be admitted as well.

To provide our small patients with the best possible care, we are able to draw on the complete infrastructure of our specialised hospital. All specialists from other fields are on hand to provide treatment: General surgeons, trauma surgeons, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, ENT physicians, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, psychologists, as well as occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Children and adolescents requiring operative interventions are looked after in collaboration with colleagues from the relevant disciplines. These include surgical fields (general surgery, trauma surgery, neurosurgery and plastic surgery), ENT medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology and urology.

Portfolio of services for general paediatrics (child medicine)

In general paediatrics, we mainly look after children and adolescents suffering from illnesses in the following areas:

  • Allergology and bronchopulmonology
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology/diabetology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Haematology, haemostaseology, haemophilia
  • Infectious diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology and urology
  • Neurology and epileptology
  • Rheumatology
  • Psychosomatic conditions

We attach significant importance to age-appropriate care. Above all, this includes that the patient should be painless during all measures and after surgery as well, of course.

A variety of diagnosis options are available to us in order to identify our patients' illnesses.

Imaging diagnostics

  • All ultrasonic examinations on children and adolescents – other imaging diagnoses methods include CT and MRI in cooperation with the Institute for Imaging Diagnostics (also examinations with sedation)
  • Scintigraphic examinations (also with sedation where necessary) in cooperation with a practice for nuclear medicine

Cardiological diagnostics (currently in cooperation with the Clinic for Internal Medicine)

  • ECG and long-term ECG
  • Long-term blood pressure monitoring
  • Ergometry
  • Tilt table test
  • Echocardiography

Neurological diagnostics

  • EEG and sleep withdrawal EEG, as well as sleep EEG
  • Deduction of evoked potentials (VEP, AEP, SEP) as well as determination of nerve conductivity velocity (in cooperation with the Clinic for Neurology)
  • Extensive liquor diagnostics, including metabolic diagnostics and PCR determination
  • Diagnostics and treatment where ATM/childhood multiple sclerosis is suspected
  • aEEG
  • Polysomnography with determination of the sleep latency phases to diagnose narcolepsy

Nephrological/neurological diagnostics (currently in cooperation with the Clinic for Urology)

  • Ultrasound examinations of the kidneys and urinary tract
  • Urodynamic examinations
  • MCU
  • MR urogramme with perfusion
  • Renal scintigraphy (in cooperation with an external practice for nuclear medicine)

Allergological and pulmonological diagnostics

  • Allergy tests (RAST, prick tests, nasal provocation)
  • Testing for insect venom allergy and hypo-sensitisation (in cooperation with the Clinic for Dermatology)
  • Pulmonary function diagnostics, including treadmill running, histamine provocation, bronchospasmolytic test
  • Bronchoscopy in cooperation with the ENT Clinic and the Clinic for Internal Medicine

Endocrinological diagnostics

  • Diagnostics and treatment of childhood diabetes mellitus
  • Tall and short stature diagnostics, including functional testing
  • Diagnostics and treatment of childhood thyroid gland diseases

Gastroenterological diagnostics (currently in cooperation with the Clinic for Internal Medicine)

  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Breathing tests (C13 urea test, H2 breath test)
  • Endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract (oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, including biopsies)
  • PEG placement and removal
  • pH-metry
  • Liver biopsy

Rheumatological diagnostics

  • Joint ultrasound
  • Joint puncture

Paediatric Sleep Laboratory

  • Polysomnography for children and adolescents

Audiological diagnostics

  • Hearing screening, automated BERA and BERA (in cooperation with the ENT Clinic)

Comprehensive paraclinical diagnostics

  • Laboratory diagnostics, including hormonal diagnostics and functional tests
  • Modern infection diagnostics, including PCR determination in the liquor as well as diagnostics of connatal infections
  • Metabolic diagnostics (in cooperation with University Hospital Dresden and the Metabolism Laboratory Heidelberg)

Our clinic is specialised in treating children with haemangioma. We use a variety of treatment methods, depending on the size and location of the haemangioma, as well as the severity of impairments to organ functions.

Our services include all forms of haemangioma treatment:

  • Laser therapy (with child-appropriate analgosedation)
  • Medicinal propranolol treatment with low levels of side effects
  • Cryotherapy (cold treatment)
  • Surgical procedures

Portfolio of services for neonatology, premature birth and infant medicine

We work according to a concept of gentle neonatology and reduce all nursing and diagnostic measures to what is absolutely necessary. We promote first contact between the mother/father and the newborn baby in the birthing room to foster a close bond. On the ward, the parents are included from the beginning in nursing measures, depending on the child's condition. Mothers can also be admitted very early on after delivery in cases of very small, premature babies.

We attach significant importance to the natural form of nutrition – breastfeeding the child. For this purpose, the mothers receive strong support and instruction from our breastfeeding and nursing counsellors. Our clinic has a mother's milk collection point to ensure that all premature and recently born babies can receive ideal nutrition from donations, even if the mother does not (yet) produce sufficient milk.

Treatment methods

  • Care for premature babies from the 32nd+0 week of pregnancy based on our classification as a specialised perinatal clinic
  • Application of a broad variety of respiration forms (nCAP, inducing high flow/high PEEP nCAP, machine respiration)
  • Treatment of hypothermia in cases of asphyxia
  • TIVA , caudal and spinal anaesthesia for newborn babies, in cooperation with the Clinic for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
  • Exchange transfusion
  • Detailed counselling for breastfeeding and nursing
  • Mother's milk collection point and mother's milk bank
  • Intensive care transports of newborns possible 24/7 (ambulance for babies or emergency helicopter)

Postnatal Ward

All healthy newborn babies receive paediatric care on the Postnatal Ward.

  • Performance of the statutory screening examinations (so-called U-examinations), U1 and U2
  • Metabolic screening
  • Pulse oximetry screening
  • Transcutaneous bilirubin screening
  • Hearing screening (including aBERA and possibly BERA at a later stage)
  • Ultrasound of the hip
  • Other ultrasonic examinations based on clinical necessity
  • Comprehensive care and instruction for mothers on breastfeeding their babies

Children born in an outpatient setting receive support from the midwives, i.e. the gynaecologists

Children and adolescents also experienced situations in which their mental and emotional state affects them physically. They notice bodily symptoms like stomach pain, headaches, dizziness or a reduced performance. But the results of all physical examinations are negative. Frequently the reasons for these symptoms will be mental and emotional. Treatment as an inpatient or in the day care centre can be helpful once all outpatient options have been used or are not feasible from the beginning. The challenge in this regard is to initiate adequate and individual treatment based on the biopsychosocial model for each single patient.

Which patients do we treat?

  • Children and adolescents aged between six and 18 who are experiencing psychosomatic symptoms (e.g. dizziness, headaches, stomach pains, nausea, spasms, adjustment disorders, eating disorders)

What is the aim of inpatient treatment?

  • The purpose of the treatment is to empower your child once again to manage the challenges of everyday life at home, at school and in their social lives.

How does treatment proceed?

  • Any outstanding organic diagnoses and psychological tests are completed at the beginning of the stay
  • Once diagnosis is complete, we agree on a specially prepared therapy plan with the parents and the child
  • In total, treatment lasts around eight weeks
  • On the ward, the patients are supported by a team of paediatricians, child psychiatrists, educationalist, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, art and body therapists, music therapists and paediatric nurses

How is inpatient admission organised?

  • By submitting a referral slip from a paediatrician or the attending facility (e.g. a socio-educational centre)
  • An initial consultation is possible by telephone arrangement in order to acquire insight into the examinations and treatments that have been administered to the patient so far
  • We also use this opportunity to describe individual treatment options. Objective and organisational issues are clarified as well

Information about staying at the clinic

  • Parents can give their child things to take into hospital that they enjoy. (Cuddly toys, their own pillow, photos, painting sets, music, suitable magazines and books)
  • If they like, parents can hand in to the nurses small quantities of fruit, vegetables, sweets and/or drinks, which are then stored in a separate patient refrigerator
  • The child requires school and sports items, as well as leisure clothing and changes of clothing
  • No valuables, computer games, tablets etc.
  • In addition to holiday leave, there are regular visiting hours during inpatient treatment: Tuesday and Thursday between 4:00 pm and 5:45 pm; Saturday and Sunday between 3:00 pm and 5:45 pm (If your child remains on the ward at weekends)
  • In addition to the parents, the child may also receive visits from siblings, grandparents and one or two other people, after consulting with the parents
  • We request the day care patients do not receive visitors
  • Telephone calls with the child are possible daily between 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm
  • The child can be contacted by telephone after consulting with the ward sister

Contact: Paediatric Psychosomatics
Responsible physicians: Oberärztin Katrin Laban (Tel. +49 3581 37-3118); Markus Wenzel (Tel. +49 3581 37-3469)

Naturally, we can also provide intensive medical care to children beyond the period of infancy in the event of life-threatening diseases or when post-surgical monitoring is necessary. In this regard, we attach particular importance to ensuring the painlessness of all measures, starting with blood sampling, through to changing bandages. We use nitrous oxide when necessary to ensure painless intervention. Cooperating with the Clinic for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, we also administer caudal and spinal anaesthesia.

Treatment methods

  • Post-operative care
  • Monitoring and treatment of intoxication
  • Application of various respiration forms (nCAP or machine respiration for infants)
  • TIVA, caudal and spinal anaesthesia for children, in cooperation with the Clinic for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
  • Painless implementation of nursing and therapeutic measures

There are two sleep laboratory places in the Clinic for Paediatric and Youth Medicine

Indication for examination in the paediatric sleep laboratory

  • Suspicion of sleep-related breathing disorders
  • Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) with nocturnal snoring, nocturnal sweating, reclined head sleeping, daytime fatigue
  • Before surgery on adenoids or tonsillar hyperplasia
  • Cheynes-Stokes respiration with cyanosis and/or bradycardia, desaturation, sleep apnoea
  • Patients with muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular dystrophy

Suspicion of sleep-related seizures

  • Differentiation between focal and generalised seizure forms
  • Exclusion of ESES (electrical status epilepticus in slow wave sleep), especially in cases of incipient language acquisition disorders
  • Therapy review in cases of sleep-related seizures
  • Differentiation from psychogenic seizures

Besides these indications, the following are added for infants

  • Prior ALTE (apparent life threatening event)
  • Premature births beyond the 6th – 8th week of life
  • Premature births with broncho-pulmonary dysplasia
  • Children with cerebral bleeding and/or hydrocephalus
  • Dysmorphic syndrome with obstruction of the upper airways
  • Recurring vomiting/suspicion of gastro-oesophageal reflux

Beyond infancy

  • For the clarification of a variety of diseases (short stature diagnostics with nocturnal growth hormone profile, sleep latency stages within the framework of narcolepsy diagnosis)