Kidney Stones in Children
More and more studies show that the majority of the children who are prone to developing kidney stones are those who suffer from underlying medical conditions, increasing the risk of kidney stones in children this early. For parents to understand how to deal with kidney stones in children in case their kids suffer from it, they must first understand everything about kidney stones in children. Having a broad understanding of kidney stones in children can help parents trace possible causes, identify symptoms, and give immediate responses to the child in pain.
Kidney stones, just like in adults, are different types of stones which can either be “calcium oxalate” which is the most common and caused by too much presence of calcium in the urine, “struvite stones,” “uric acid stones,” and “cystine stones.” These types vary depending on the levels of the minerals found and their characteristics.
Parents would never know if their children are suffering from kidney stones if they are not familiar with its symptoms such as abdominal or back pain, blood in the urine or hematuria, vomiting or nausea, and they often need to urinate. In younger kids, these symptoms cannot easily be recognized, which is why there is a need to undergo laboratory evaluation and tests. Since kidney stones are not common among children, especially among younger ones, it is a must to identify the risk factors present such as:
1. History of kidney stones. If the family has a history of this disease, it is likely that children will become more prone to the condition in the future. Studies show that kids who have a history of kidney stones are likely to suffer from the same problem in the next 10 to 20 years of his or her life.
2. Low fluid—especially water—intake. If the child exhibits this habit, he or she is prone to kidney stones because it affects the ideal amount of urine that should be released daily. It should always be remembered that if there were lesser water or fluid intake, the chances of developing kidney stones are much higher because there will be more concentration of substances that lead to faster kidney stone formation.
3. Diet and amount of food intake. Those high in animal protein such as beef, pork, lamb, or chicken are likely to develop kidney stones because they have a higher concentration of protein which is one of the primary causes of kidney stones. Many experts believe that children who consume too much protein are at risk of developing “calcium oxalate stones” along with problems in terms of intestinal absorption.
Other symptoms to look out for include experience in cystic fibrosis, suffering from urinary tract abnormalities like dysfunction of the bladder or the kidneys, some inherited disorders from the parents, and undergoing medications such as “furosemide,” “allopurinol,” and “acetazolamide” which are known to promote the formation of urine crystals that leads to the formation of kidney stones.
Experts say that children are less prone to kidney stones because they are healthier and more physically active. But, over the years, there has been a constant increase in the number of children that are being affected by kidney stones.
Maybe because more and more kids now are living sedentary lives by being in front of the computer or by eating foods that are high in protein, calcium, and sodium.
