Kidney Disease Children Although Kidney

Kidney Disease Children Although kidney diseases are rarer in children than they are among the adult population, they can cause serious life-threatening complications. About one or two out of every 100,000 children in the United States develop kidney disease in the United States each year (National Institutes of Health). That risk is higher for boys than it is for girls, as "boys are nearly twice as likely as girls to develop kidney failure from birth defects, polycystic kidney disease, or other hereditary diseases," (National Institutes of Health).

Kidney diseases in children are generally caused by genetic factors, although many of the symptoms can be alleviated via lifestyle changes and medications. A number of birth defects and other preexisting conditions can cause kidney disease. For example, a narrow urethra condition called posterior urethral valve obstruction is one of the urinary tract problems that can lead to more serious kidney complications. Some kidney problems are the result of inadequate organ development in the fetus ("Kidney Diseases in Childhood").

Narrowing or enlargement of one or both kidneys, a disease known as fetal hydronephrosis, can occur while the child is developing in the womb or in early childhood ("Some causes of kidney disease in children"). Infants and toddlers may also develop urinary tract infections, which are difficult to detect in young children and which can lead to kidney disease when left untreated ("Some causes of kidney disease in children"). Therefore, it is imperative to understand the warning signs and early indicators of kidney disease in infants and toddlers.

Detecting kidney diseases early helps parents and doctors administer treatments and encourage the child to follow dietary restrictions if necessary. Prenatal testing may be used to detect certain types of kidney disorders. Other kidney diseases can only be detected later, after the toddler or young child has manifested symptoms such as a urinary tract infection or high blood pressure ("Kidney Diseases in Childhood"). There are two basic types of kidney diseases in children: acute and chronic.

Acute kidney diseases can be severe in the short-term but once treated, the kidney functions return to normal (National Institutes of Health). Hemolytic uremic syndrome and Nephrotic syndrome are acute kidney diseases affecting children. Most acute kidney diseases are caused by trauma, injury, or poisoning. Chronic conditions include deformed kidneys that are due to birth defects, the hereditary disease polycystic kidney disease (PKD), Glomerular diseases, and Systemic diseases (National Institutes of Health).

Birth defects and hereditary conditions are the most common causes of chronic kidney diseases in children under the age of four. Genetic factors are indicated in kidney diseases that develop later in childhood. Among adolescents who develop kidney diseases, glomerular diseases are the most common culprits. Glomerular diseases "attack the individual filtering units in the kidney," which causes blood and protein to leak into the urine," (National Institutes of Health). Once diagnosed, kidney diseases can respond to a number of treatments. These treatments are crucial to prevent total renal failure.

Diet and medications are usually the first line of defense in treating childhood kidney diseases. Vitamins may also be part of the treatment process ("When Your Child Has a Chronic Kidney Disease"). In severe cases,.