Kids, focus of World Kidney Day this year

Doctors say that giving importance to a healthy kidney from an early age is crucial as most often adult renal disease is actually initiated in childhood. The symptoms of kidney disease in children are often non-specific, which means that there is a risk that kidney problems may be missed in children. The leading causes of kidney failure in children are hereditary conditions. 

Dr D Divakar, Senior Consultant Nephrologist, Fortis Malar Hospital, says that ante-natal scans reveal problems and these can be rectified at an early stage for the child to lead a normal life. He adds, “The other common problem we see in children are Minimal Change Disease, a common form of nephrotic syndrome, and reflux nephropathy, a condition in which the kidneys are damaged by the backward flow of urine into the kidney.” 

Dr Ram Prabahar M, Joint Director, Institute of Renal Sciences, says that an increasing number of kidney related problems among children are either genetic or structural. “There are a number of hypotheses regarding causes like environmental to lifestyle. The number of cases is rising due to improved diagnostic techniques. This calls for more awareness among parents, who often misjudge the problem, assuming that it may not be big enough since it is a child.”

Dr Sudha Ekambaram, fellow in Paediatric Nephrology, of Dr Mehta’s Children’s Hospital, says urinary tract infection, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI) or acute renal failure are some of the common forms of kidney-related issues she sees among children. 

“Parents assume that giving the child antibiotics for urinary tract infection can help it cure completely. But in cases of repeated infection, it can lead to renal failure. There are kidney transplant options, but after 10 to 15 years they might need another transplant. It is therefore crucial that we encourage and facilitate education, early detection and a healthy lifestyle in children to combat the increase of preventable kidney damage including AKI and CKD,” she says.