"Children's health is the foundation for the development of human society."
Yuri Veltishchev was a visionary pediatrician who revolutionized children's medicine with his groundbreaking approaches to genetics, biochemistry, and ecological pediatrics. His ideas, considered bold and innovative by his contemporaries, now form the foundation of modern pediatric medicine.
Yuri Veltishchev was born on November 28, 1930, in the village of Malyn in the Moscow region. His professional journey began in 1954 as a local pediatrician, where he gained firsthand experience with the challenges and nuances of working with children1 . This practice allowed him to understand the limitations of contemporary medicine and consider the need for fundamentally new approaches.
In 1967, Veltishchev defended his doctoral dissertation on "Physiology and Pathology of Water-Salt Metabolism in Childhood"1 , which became a breakthrough in understanding fundamental processes in children's bodies.
Began work as a local pediatrician
Defended doctoral dissertation on water-salt metabolism
Appointed head of Moscow Research Institute of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery
Established Department of Congenital and Hereditary Diseases
Created Department of Mathematical Modeling and Disease Prediction
Veltishchev was the first in domestic pediatrics to systematically develop and implement an ontogenetic approach to child health. He viewed children not as miniature adults but as developing systems with unique patterns3 .
At a time when genetics faced persecution in the USSR, Veltishchev boldly developed this field. In 1970, he established the Department of Congenital and Hereditary Diseases3 .
Veltishchev is rightly considered the founder of ecological pediatrics in Russia. He was among the first to understand environmental impacts on children's health3 .
Veltishchev's doctoral dissertation on the physiology and pathology of water-salt metabolism in childhood became a turning point in pediatric practice. Before his research, rehydration therapy was conducted almost blindly, without considering age-specific characteristics and the specifics of disorders.
His research revealed significant age-related differences in the regulation of water-salt metabolism, explaining different clinical presentations of hydration disorders in children of different ages compared to adults.
| Age Group | Daily Fluid Requirement (ml/kg) | Glomerular Filtration Rate (ml/min/1.73m²) | Sensitivity to Hyponatremia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborns | 140-160 | 30-40 | High |
| 1-12 months | 120-140 | 50-60 | High |
| 1-3 years | 100-120 | 70-80 | Moderate |
| 4-7 years | 80-100 | 90-100 | Moderate |
| 8-14 years | 60-80 | 100-120 | Low |
| Type of Disorder | Main Characteristics | Predominant Clinical Manifestations | Correction Principles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water-Deficient Dehydration | Water loss predominates over electrolyte loss | Thirst, dry mucous membranes, agitation | Predominance of glucose-salt solutions |
| Salt-Deficient Dehydration | Electrolyte loss predominates | Lethargy, adynamia, impaired consciousness | Predominance of saline solutions |
| Isotonic Dehydration | Proportional loss of water and electrolytes | Combination of water-deficient and salt-deficient symptoms | Balanced administration of solutions |
Veltishchev's work enabled the systematization of approaches to rehydration therapy and the development of clear recommendations for correcting water-salt metabolism disorders in children. His methods became the gold standard in pediatrics and saved countless lives worldwide.
| Method/Technology | Purpose in Research | Application Area |
|---|---|---|
| High-voltage electrophoresis of amino acids | Detection of amino acid metabolism disorders | Diagnosis of hereditary metabolic diseases |
| Electrothermal determination of osmotic pressure | Assessment of renal concentration function and hydration status | Water-salt metabolism studies |
| Radioisotope diagnostic methods | Study of kidney and other organ functions | Nephrology, diagnosis of systemic disorders |
| Electron microscopy of biopsies | In vivo morphological tissue examination | Diagnosis of hereditary nephropathies |
| Mathematical disease modeling | Creation of diagnostic algorithms and disease course prediction | Computer database of hereditary diseases |
European colleagues highly valued this work. The renowned pediatrician Edward Kerpel-Fronius gifted Veltishchev a marble sculpture of a child's head, which he kept until the end of his life as a symbol of recognition for his achievements3 .
Yuri Veltishchev passed away on January 2, 2010, but his ideas continue to live and develop1 . The Veltishchev school of pediatrics he created gifted Russia with many remarkable physicians and scientists who continue his work3 .
In 2015, the Research Institute of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery was named after its great leader - Academician Veltishchev2 .
"Nothing can be sacrificed for children's health - neither a 'sick' economy with its main enemy - inflation, nor the decline of society's moral foundations."
The interdisciplinary approach that Veltishchev developed in his clinical and scientific work is now mainstream in world medicine. His ideas about the connections between immunology, genetics, biochemistry, and clinical pediatrics have found confirmation and development in modern personalized treatment approaches.
Yuri Veltishchev was not just an outstanding scientist-pediatrician - he was a thinker, visionary, and humanitarian who believed in prioritizing children's health above all else.