As soon as kidney disease is mentioned, it is generally understood as a disease that only affects the young and the elderly. However, young children are also affected by many kidney diseases. How many children are dying prematurely due to kidney failure at a young age. If common problems are not treated in time, there are many children who suffer from complex kidney problems.
Kidney disease is a ‘silent’ disease. Its symptoms do not appear immediately. However, by the time it appears, it may be too late. If children have frequent urinary infections, it should be understood that it is a kidney problem. It should be treated properly on time. Urine infection in children can be due to various reasons. In general, boys have fewer urinary tract infections than girls. However, if a child has a urinary tract infection, it may cause kidney problems.
In children, there is a difference in the structure of the kidneys, problems in the urinary bladder, urinary tract, when the skin of the urinary tract does not fully recover, constipation and the habit of holding urine for a long time, infections are seen. Such problems should be treated immediately.
Similarly, in girls, infection occurs due to lack of cleanliness of the urethra and anus. Parents should not wash girls by bringing their hands from behind to front while cleaning the stool with water. By doing this, there is a risk of urinary tract infection. In addition to this, infections in girls are also seen due to kidney structure, urinary tract, and bladder problems.
Urinary tract infections in children are often treated with antibiotics or other common treatments. But why is the infection recurring? It is not checked further. As a result, there is a risk of severe kidney damage over time. Keeping silent about such problems as normal means pushing our grandparents to a serious condition of kidney disease.
Another problem seen in children is ‘nephrotic syndrome’. Protein excretion in the urine is called nephrotic syndrome. In most cases, this problem is hereditary. Proteinuria ranges from simple to complex. In some cases, it can be cured by using common medicine, while in some cases, the problem will keep recurring, even the medicine may not work. If the medicine does not work, then the treatment process is carried forward through further tests with a biopsy of the kidney. Because if the problem of protein leakage is not stopped in time, it will completely damage the kidney from the inside.
If the protein is gone from the child’s urine, the child will gradually become swollen. There are symptoms like foaming in the urine, less urination. As soon as such problems occur, parents should bring the children to the hospital. Medicines work for many children with this problem. However, if it recurs after some time after taking the medicine, further treatment should be done after looking at the condition of the kidneys.
Children sometimes also have the problem of seeing blood in the urine. If such a problem occurs, you should immediately see a specialist doctor. Blood in the urine can have many causes. One of them is ‘glomerulonephritis’. This is the problem of blood in the urine. Sometimes this can be due to a simple infection, and in some cases, it can be due to a major problem with the kidneys and urinary tract. Apart from infection, this problem also affects the immune system in children.
Even if children have throat and skin infections, it can also affect the kidneys. Such a problem affecting the kidneys in two-three weeks after the infection is called post-steptocal glomerulonephritis. In this problem, symptoms such as protein coming out of the child’s urine, blood, high blood pressure, and decreased urination are seen.
Bedwetting in older children can also be a kidney problem. Bedwetting usually stops when children are three to four years old. But if a child urinates on the bed even for 8-10 years, that is a problem. This is called ‘Anorosis’. Common people think that this problem gets better with age. However, many people do not know that if it is not controlled, there is a risk of internal kidney damage. Such problems may be caused by common infections, bladder problems, constipation etc. First it has to be identified and treated. If not treated in time, many children with this problem are at risk of kidney failure later on. Also, mental problems may also be added to the child.
Children also have congenital kidney problems. In some cases, at birth, the kidney is located elsewhere, there is only one kidney, swelling of the duct, and problems with the urinary bladder. In some children, stone formation and kidney failure have also been observed shortly after birth. Such problems should be identified and treated in time. – Dr. Vivek Todi
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