Over the past 20 years, kidney stones in kids and teenagers have increased in frequency. Although they can happen to kids of any age, including premature infants, the majority of stones affect teenagers. When minerals and other components often found in urine come together to create a hard stone in the urinary tract, kidney stones can develop. They may also develop if the urine contains insufficient amounts of other elements that aid in preventing the formation of stones.
The ureter, the tube that links the kidney to the bladder, and the kidney are where stones often develop. Rarely do they develop in the bladder.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones in Children
Kidney stones in children can develop over time without showing any symptoms. However, if a stone begins to pass through the ureter, a tube that connects the urinary tract to the bladder, it may cause symptoms such as:
Sudden, severe pain in the back or side
Nausea and vomiting
Groin pain as the stone passes down the urinary tract
Severe stomach pain only (young children especially)
Burning or pain while peeing
Blood in pee (hematuria)
Fever and urinary tract infection
Diagnosing Kidney Stones in Children
When a stone is discovered in a child's urinary system by x-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scan, the diagnosis is generally confirmed.
An ultrasound is the recommended test for a child who may have a stone. This is due to the fact that ultrasounds are quick, non-radioactive, and capable of detecting the majority of stones. Although a CT scan can detect very small stones, many medical professionals will first order an ultrasound as CT scans expose the patient to a small amount of radiation. Only if a stone is suspected but cannot be seen with ultrasound will they then perform a CT scan.
Treatment for Kidney Stones in Children
The objectives are to relieve pain in children who have kidney stones and to aid the stone's passage into the bladder and out through the urine. Occasionally, you can accomplish this at home by consuming a lot of water and other liquids. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen, both available over-the-counter, can control discomfort.
To make the passing of the stone easier, other oral drugs might be administered. a child's physician could advise using a strainer to help remove the stone from the urine so that it can be examined in a laboratory.
Children who are vomiting or are in excruciating pain may occasionally require hospitalization in order to receive IV fluids and stronger painkillers. A urologist may be required to assist children with huge stones or stones that won't pass on their own. In order to break the stone into tiny fragments that may be passed down the urinary tract, the urologist may use lithotripsy.
It may sound scary, but rest assured this operation is very safe and does not harm the kidney. While a child is under anesthesia, the urologist may also use a scope that enters the bladder and travels up the ureter to remove the stone. The stone can then be "grabbed" by the urologist and taken out of the body.
Preventing Kidney Stones in Children
You can assist a child in a variety of ways to lower the risk of further kidney stone development. Children with kidney stones should:
Drink a lot of fluid throughout the day (urine should usually look very pale yellow). Ask your healthcare team for an amount that's right for a child. If a child has kidney disease and needs to limit fluid, please discuss this with the team.
Limit salt in the diet.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits.
Eat fewer meats, processed foods, fast food, and sodas.
Avoid food and drinks with high fructose corn syrup.
Keep a healthy weight.
Eat the recommended amount of calcium-rich foods and drinks. Cutting back calcium in the diet is not recommended and can sometimes actually increase stone risk. On the other hand, don't take a calcium supplement unless your doctor says a child needs one.
A pediatric nephrologist, a kidney specialist who treats children with kidney stones, may be referred by a doctor to a child. The cause of a child's kidney stone formation may be found by blood testing and a 24-hour urine collection test. With this knowledge, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can provide detailed dietary advice, and your doctor and medical staff can offer medications to lower a child's chance of developing kidney stones in the future.