Liver Disease Program

There are many diseases that affect the liver in children, most of which are unique to the pediatric population. The most common type of pediatric liver disease is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). About 10 percent of children have NAFLD at some point in their childhood, and it’s predicted to be the No. 1 cause for liver transplant in the future.

Cohen Children’s created the first pediatric hepatology program on Long Island to care specifically for kids with transplant and non-transplant liver disease. In the past, children in the area had to travel long distances to receive pediatric care. Our pediatric hepatology team provides multidisciplinary and comprehensive care for children with all types of liver disease; this includes novel and state-of-the-art procedures and management. We are dedicated to providing high quality care to ensure that your child has the best chance for recovery.

We take a multidisciplinary approach when treating liver disease. Our team is led by pediatric hepatologists with expertise in liver disease. We combine members from each specialty to specifically make up our pediatric liver team; members meet regularly to discuss all of our complex liver patients. As a result, we have a defined team that provides expert care with seamless coordination and communication. Our specialists include:

• Pediatric and adult hepatologists
• Infectious disease
• Cardiologist
• Nephrologist
• Gastroenterologist
• Interventional radiologist
• Advanced endoscopist
• Pediatric surgeon
• Transplant surgeon
• Nutritionist
• Pharmacist
• Social worker

Our collaborative approach provides the most skilled and compassionate care for your child, allowing for the best outcomes. Once treated for their liver disease, most children will recover from their illness and do very well.

Our integrated approach allows us to offer many treatment options that are suited to each patient and their family. Our treatment plans range from the most simplified medical management to more complex interventional and surgical options, such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), embolizations, shunt formations, and liver resections. Always raising the standard of health care, we are in the process of forming the first pediatric liver transplant program on Long Island.

Because of the high volume of patients we treat with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, we're in the process of creating a state-of-the-art NAFLD center. We take a collaborative approach to treating this disease, with the patient’s care team consisting of a pediatric hepatologist, nutritionist, social worker and exercise specialist. We have leading-edge imaging and laboratory capabilities, which many pediatric centers don’t offer. In addition, we’ve started a NAFLD database for research purposes, so we can learn more about this disease and continue to improve treatment and prevention.

• Acute liver failure
• Alagille syndrome
• Alpha-1-antitypsin deficiency
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Biliary atresia
• Choledochal cysts
• Cirrhotic liver disease
• Congenital hepatic fibrosis
• Cystic fibrosis liver disease
• Drug induced liver disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Genetic/metabolic diseases of the liver
• Liver tumors/masses
• Mitochondrial hepatopathies
• Neonatal hepatitis
• Portal hypertension
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis
• TPN-associated cholestasis
• Viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, B, C, E)
• Wilson’s disease