The Department of Pediatrics  in Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine is one of the earliest departments at the beginning of the establishment of the hospital, with a long history and a rich background. Through the joint efforts of several generations of pediatrician , this department has become the base of clinical diagnosis and treatment, scientific research and talent training in Shanghai.

Around 1941, Department of Pediatrics focused on plgue and infectious diseases of children, followed by malnutrition and bone and joint tuberculosis. In the 1950s, pediatricians carried out health care work for children in local areas and eliminate intestinal parasitic diseases in children. In 1959, a specialist clinic for the integration of pediatrics and western medicine was established. Since 1963, pediatricians carried out the diagnosis and treatment of children's cardiovascular disease. From 1970 to 1977, a total of 100 cases of children under the age of 14 had not been closed recovered after receiving treatment of simple ligation or clamp closure . In the 1970s and 1980s, a full-scale clinical sub-specialty was formed in children's heart, kidney, blood, breathing, and children's health care. In 1993, the sub-specialion of children's rheumatism was established, and the "Renji Children's Asthma Prevention Center" was established in 1998. In 2001, the "Renji Allergic Disease Center" was established with the Department of Pediatrics and Respiratory, Pentatology, Dermatology and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 2004, Department of Pediatrics joined the Renji Rheumatism GROPEC Group. In 2008,the Children's Asthma Diagnosis and Treatment Center of the School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiaotong University was established with Department of Pediatrics of Renji hospital and  Xinhua Hospital hospital Affiliated to the School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Children's Medical Center Affiliated to the School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiaotong University and other brother units. In 2010, Department of Pediatrics became the deputy leader unit of the National Children's Rheumatism Cooperation Group. The scope in diagnosis and treatment scope of our department has expanded from the original single infectious disease to different sub-specialities such as children's health care, blood, kidney, cardiovascular, digestion, combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, rheumatic immunity, allergic diseases, etc. At present, diagnosis and treatment characteristics of our department is children's rheumatism and allergic diseases.

Before 1941, department of Pediatrics was managed by a British doctor as part of internal medicine, and after 1941, it was also managed by a Chinese physician. In 1952, Professor Guo Di, the founder of Chinese pediatrics, founded Renji Pediatrics. In 1954, all staff of department of Pediatrics moved to Guangci Hospital and to form the Department of Pediatrics of Shanghai Second Medical College with other medical workers. In April 1954, department of Pediatrics of Renji Hospital was rebuilt (Western Hospital), with outpatient clinics and wards. In 1992, the pediatrics clinic was established in eastern district of Renji Hospital. In 2012, the department of Pediatrics was established in south District of hospital in Pujiang Town, with outpatient and emergency clinics and wards. Now there is a pediatric outpatient clinic in the Western district of Hospital and the department of pediatric in the southern district with a pediatric emergency department and a ward.

In 1961, the Teaching and Research Group of department of Pediatrics was established to undertake teaching tasks. In 1996/2004, the Department of Pediatrics Renji has successively become a master's programs in 1996 and doctoral programs in 2004. More than 50 doctoral and master's students had been trained in this department. In 2010, The department became a standardized training base for residents in 2010 and became a training base for children with rheumatism in 2014.

In the 1960s, clinical research in children's health care, blood, heart, digestion and other fields was carried out one after another. In 1996, a pediatric laboratory was established. In 2010, the laboratory was approved by the Huangpu District CDC to become a pediatric secondary biosafety laboratory, laying the foundation for clinical teaching and scientific research. They has completed more than 30 topics such as the Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Municipal Education Commission, and the Municipal Health Bureau. Also there are more than 300 papers published from core journals, including more than 40 SCI articles.

The department of pediatrics of  Renji Hospital will continue to promote the construction of all-round disciplines. It will continue to take the sub-professional and important specialized diseases of children's rheumatic and allergic diseases as a unit, take excellent young doctors specializing in art as the talent advantage, improve the connotation and energy level of medical services, strengthen the construction of scientific research and talent team, and become the first-class for the discipline. Lay the foundation for horizontal disciplines.