Pediatric Nephrology Explained: Insights For Parents and Caregives

Dear parents, if you have to get up several times a night to change your baby’s diapers and it doesn’t bother you, consider yourself lucky to be awarded the opportunity to make beautiful memories with your kids. It is normal for a baby to wet the bed several times a night. But if your child is past this stage and still wets his bed at night, then you either haven’t given him proper toilet training or he is facing issues related to childhood kidney problems or pediatric kidney disorders that come under the discipline of pediatric nephrology and require the intervention of a pediatric nephrologist.

ARTICLE: Before we delve into pediatric kidney disorders, or pediatric nephrology, let’s find out what they actually are. Pediatric nephrology is a branch of nephrology that deals with kidney ailments.

WHAT IS PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY?

Therefore, pediatric nephrology is a line of treatment dedicated to children’s kidney problems. It involves acute and chronic renal disorders that affect children’s urinary tract and kidneys. Pediatric nephrology covers the treatment of pediatric kidney disorders, including

1. Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Oft reported in children, UTIs can affect children’s kidneys, bladder, and the rest of the urinary system. It is one of the pediatric nephrology conditions that need to be treated immediately to avoid further complications, such as kidney infections.
2. Glomerulonephritis: The glomeruli are tiny filters inside the kidneys that can be damaged acutely or chronically due to issues with a child’s immune system, various infections, and genetic reasons. A person is said to be suffering from glomerulonephritis when this happens.
3. Haematuria: Blood in the urine can be distressing and off-putting. It may or may not have serious underlying causes, but if it is a usual occurrence, it could be one of the pediatric nephrology conditions that require a medical diagnosis. The presence of blood in the urine due to serious causes such as infections, glomerulonephritis, or other disorders is called haematuria.
4. Kidney Stones: This is one of the pediatric nephrology conditions that are caused by dehydration, metabolic issues, and abnormalities in the urinary tract. Though rare in children, it requires the timely intervention of a pediatric nephrologist.
5. Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD): This is one of the pediatric kidney disorders requiring the intervention of a pediatric nephrologist. It is an autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant genetic disorder marked by fluid-filled kidney cysts.
6. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): Reactions caused by certain pills, an infection, and dehydration can cause a child to contract This is one of the childhood kidney problems that are sudden and often reversible and lead to a decrease in kidney function.
7. Renal tubular acidosis, or RTA, is one of the pediatric kidney disorders that affects the ability of the kidneys to acidify the urine properly. This results in acid-base imbalances in the body.

Other childhood kidney problems include

Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract (CAKUT) or birth-induced structural abnormalities in the kidneys or urinary tract;

Nephrotic syndrome, characterized by protein in the urine, low blood-protein levels, high cholesterol, and swelling, triggered by various glomeruli-related issues;

Wilms tumor: a kind of kidney cancer mostly affecting children.

WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY?

Pediatric nephrology is related to treating children’s nephrological diseases or ailments related to children’s kidney problems.

WHEN TO SEE A PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGIST?

The need to see a pediatric nephrologist comes into focus when a child is diagnosed with a serious nephrological condition, as in cases where he requires dialysis, including in cases of serious kidney injury, premature birth, or other serious conditions where there is a risk to his kidneys.

WHY PAEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY?

A child’s kidneys, like those of other human beings, require due care. Pediatric nephrology takes care of all the determinants of a child’s kidney health.