Kidney disease in children can be caused by a number of issues:
- Birth defects
- Hereditary diseases
- Infection
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Urinary tract infections
- Trauma
- Urinary tract obstruction or reflux
As with kidney disease in adults, the signs and symptoms can be difficult to detect with children. This means that it is important for parents to seek medical advice immediately if they suspect their child may be suffering from ill health.
If a child is diagnosed with kidney disease, the treatment they are given will depend on the cause of the illness. For example, children with kidney disease caused by high blood pressure may be prescribed medication to lower blood pressure and relive the kidneys. However, if the child’s condition is severe, leading to kidney failure, they must be given treatment options that fully replace the work of the kidneys. Options for this are dialysis and transplantation.
