Thirteen infants received their first renal transplant at the University of Minnesota from 1978 through 1985. Nine of the originally transplanted kidneys are still functioning and only two patients have died. These results are similar to those obtained in larger groups of children either less than 2 years of age or less than 5 years of age at the time of transplantation. Successfully transplanted infants experience accelerated growth and development, frequently reaching the normal range for their age. Since both chronic uremia and dialysis carry special risks in infancy, the option of earlier transplantation should be considered in any infant with end-stage renal failure.