Department of General Paediatrics

The Department of General Pediatrics has a wide range of activities and provides care for all general paediatric conditions. Children of all age groups and adolescents up to 18 years of age are being looked after. The department’s main focus is in the areas of metabolic medicine, infectious diseases, neurology and neonatology. There is particular expertise in the care of children with diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal, hepatological and endocrinological diseases.

Equipped with state of the art medical technology, the intensive care ward is one of the most generously spaced in Germany. Neonates and premature infants, but also children with acute life-threatening symptoms and postoperative patients are being cared for. There is additionally a dedicated neonatal ward for newborns and premature infants. The neonatal unit co-operates closely with the University’s obstetric department.

Patient care

”Arthur Schlossmann – saviour of children“: this dedication, to be found in the main entrance hall, serves as a reminder of this great paediatrician, whose spirit influences the work performed in the hospital to this day. Much has changed since the day and age of Schlossmann, though. The department owns generous, modern premises and provides top-level diagnostic and therapeutic facilities.

A wide range of specialist outpatient clinics are established (metabolic diseases, neurology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, as well as  clinics for diabetes and seizure disorders, both certified by the respective national societies). Experts are also available for any queries to do with infectious conditions, as well as with vaccinations for children or adolescents. Close cooperation with local office-based paediatricians is considered a top priority.

A wide range of diagnostic studies is available within the department, including EEG and electrophysiological studies. Our metabolic laboratory provides manifold modern methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of inborn metabolic diseases. Experts of international standing are available to deal with diagnostic queries from all over Germany and initiate or recommend the most appropriate investigations. Other diagnostic modalities, like computed tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance tomography or gastrointestinal endoscopy are carried out within the paediatric department or at the adjacent building of the medical department (MNR-Klinik). Short distances between these departments facilitate all movements of patients between these locations, which is all in the patients’ interests.

The children’s department centres around the needs of infants, toddlers and adolescents. Each ward has its own playroom with books and toys, where professional childcare is offered on a daily basis. One parent can usually be admitted with their child. Visits are possible at all times. The average duration of stay is now less than five days.

It is of paramount importance that the care of children should go beyond meeting physical needs. Addressing the complex needs of children with developmental disorders as well as chronic diseases in a comprehensive way is the the task of the “social paediatric centre”. Here, paediatricians work hand in hand with various therapists and other childcare professionals, like psychologists, child and adolescent psychotherapists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians and social workers. The emotional aspects of physical disease affecting children are comprehensively addressed and their families supported.

Research and teaching

The department’s main research interests are with metabolic diseases, infectious disease, paediatric neurology and neonatology. Most projects relate to metabolic medicine, aiming to develop new diagnostic methods as well as novel therapeutic strategies.

A number of different metabolic conditions are being studied, including homocystinuria, disorders of betain metabolism, defects of fatty acid oxidation or galactose metabolism, the interaction of eicosanoid with glutathion metabolism, dysregulation of insulin secretion, as well as maple syrup urine disease.  

The infectious disease group is particularly interested in the pathogenesis of infection, ie. host-pathogen interactions. Characterisation of molecular mechanisms of bacterial adhaesion and invasion as well as studies on meningitis pathogenesis all aim to develop new therapeutic and preventative strategies.

The clinical investigation of complex movement disorders and abnormalities of neurotransmission is the focus of our neurological research. The neonatal department conducts clinical research into minimally invasive ventilation modalities, striving to reduce the incidence of chronic lung disease and its associated complications. It also advances non-invasive methods for measuring oxidative stress in premature infants.

The department shares with the departments of paediatric cardiology and paediatric haematology/oncology (see respective websites) in the teaching of medical students, offering various teaching modules. These courses include ward- and clinic-based teaching blocks with a student tutor ratio of 1:1, as well as bedside teaching and various seminars.   

The individual research groups offer introductions to scientific work for medical students and graduates. Moreover, various colloquia and elective courses are offered, many of them CME-modules certified by the respective regulatory body of “Ärztekammer Nordrhein”.

More information

Visit this site under: Klinik für Allgemeine Pädiatrie, Neonatologie und Kinderkardiologie