Kidney Stones in Children: What to Know
Kidney stones have become more common in children and adolescents during the last 25 years. They can occur in children of any age, even premature infants, but most often they occur in teens. Kidney stones occur when minerals and other substances found in the urine join together to form a hard stone in the urinary tract. They can also occur if the urine contains insufficient levels of additional substances that prevent the formation of stones. Stones usually form in the kidney and the ureter, which connects the kidney to the bladder.
To provide readers with a better understanding of kidney stones in children, Dr. Niren Rao, a leading kidney stone specialist in Delhi, has explained the same in this article. Continue reading to learn more.
What are the Different Types of Kidney Stones in Children?
Kidney stones form when large amounts of substances, such as salt, get stored in the kidneys and turn into stones or crystals. There are also certain diseases that cause stones, but most of them are formed due to diet and nutrition issues. Some doctors suspect that children might be more susceptible to this condition due to excessive salt in their diets. The child is tested to measure their uric acid levels. Some types of kidney stones include the following:
• Calcium stones are caused by a lot of salt.
• Cystine stones that occur in patients with cystinuria, a hereditary condition characterised by increased stone production in the bladder, ureter, or kidneys.
• Struvite stones that are caused by urinary tract infections.
• Uric acid stones, which occur after chemotherapy or with gout.
What are the Signs of Kidney Stones?
Stones can form in a child’s kidney without showing any symptoms for a long time. However, if a stone moves down the urinary tract through the tube called the ureter, it can cause the following symptoms:
• Severe pain in the back
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Groin pain
• Pain while peeing
• Blood in urine
• Fever
• Urinary tract infection
If a child experiences any of these symptoms, one must consult Dr. Niren Rao, a well known kidney doctor in Delhi, at Dr. Niren Rao’s Urology Practice to get an effective treatment.
What Causes Kidney Stones to Occur?
1. Low urine volume: Low urine volume happens due to insufficient fluid intake by the child. As a result, the urine becomes concentrated and dark in color. An increased fluid intake will dilute the urine and decrease the chances of stone formation.
2. High Sodium Diet: The most common kidney stones are calcium stones. When people consume a high-sodium diet, they tend to excrete more calcium in their urine. This can happen if they eat a lot of processed and quick food or if they use a lot of table salt. The best way to reduce calcium stones is to lower the sodium intake.
3. Medications: There are a few medications that cause low urinary citrate. Urinary citrate is a naturally occurring component in urine that protects against the production of kidney stones. Some types of calcium stones are likely to form in the urine, which is low in citrate. In such instances, thedoctorprescribes potassium citrate.Onewould beencouragedto eat alot ofvegetables to make the urine rich in citrate.
How are Kidney Stones Diagnosed?
The doctor will ask the following:
• The symptoms and how long they have
• The child’s diet
• Whether the child could be dehydrated
• Whether there is a family history of kidney stones or urinary problems
The doctor will conduct an exam and advise on the following tests:
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Kidney function tests
• Tests such as ultrasounds, CT scans, or X-rays. This helps locate the stone’s exact size and location. And based on the examination, the doctors can decide on the best treatment.
How are Kidney Stones Treated?
1. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL): Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a minimally invasivekidneystonetreatment thatis usedforstones larger than2cm and canbeperformed under spinal or general anesthesia. A small incision of less than 1 cm is made, and a tract is established into the kidney that leads up to the stone. The kidney doctor inserts a nephroscope in the kidney, and the stone gets fragmented into small pieces and is removed. A DJ stent is placed in the kidney after a week. There is a risk of bleeding with this surgery, which can happen after 2–3 weeks. Although the chances are very low.
2. MINI PCNL: This is an effectivemethod to get ridofkidneystones. In this procedure, stones as small as 7-8 mm are removed using probes and lasers. The post-operative recovery is early, and there is less blood loss. Patients are able to resume their regular activities quickly.
3. Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS): In this technique, a ureteroscope is passed through the urinary passage through the bladder and then directly into the kidney. The kidney stones are fragmented into small pieces using a holmium laser and removed with miniature baskets. The best part of the surgery is that no cuts are made in the skin. It is also useful to remove stones in difficult locations inside the kidney.
4. Ureterorenoscopy (URS): Stones that get stuck in the ureter are treated using a rigid ureteroscope, which is as thin as a pen. When the ureteroscope is passed through the urinary passage, no cut is made on the skin. When it reaches the stone, the stone is fragmented into smaller particles using holmium lasers or pneumatic lithoclasts. The stone fragments are then removed
using forceps, and towards the end of the procedure, a stent is placed in the ureter. After a week, the stent is removed through the urinary passage.
How to Prevent Kidney Stones?
The most important way to prevent kidney stones is by increasing the water intake. This keeps the urine dilute, and the stones are less likely to develop. The doctor orders a 24-hour urine collection that a special lab will evaluate to examine what kind of stones the body is making. With that evaluation, the doctor can decide if medications or treatments will be needed to eliminate kidney stones.
To know more about the kidney stone treatment options, book a consultation with Dr. Niren Rao, a kidney stone doctor in Delhi, at Dr. Niren Rao’s Urology Practice. Book an appointment today!