Our children are the most precious thing we have.exists in our lives. And, of course, all parents are very sensitive to the issue of their child's health. The slightest ailment greatly upsets mom and dad. However, all children without exception suffer from colds, and nothing can be done about it. However, to our great regret, acute respiratory diseases are one of the least evils that can lie in wait for a child on his life path. There are a huge number of other diseases that a child is susceptible to. And kidney diseases are one of them. It is kidney and urinary diseases that will be discussed below.
What are the kidneys?
The kidneys are the most important organ of the urinary system.human system. The kidneys are a kind of filter, with the help of which the human body removes all harmful and simply unnecessary substances from the body. Maintaining an optimal balance of the internal environment of the body is extremely important for the functioning of the body. Only with the correct balance is it possible for the metabolism to proceed correctly and new blood cells - erythrocytes to form. The laying and development of the kidneys begins during the intrauterine development of the child. However, by the time the baby is born, the development of his kidneys is not yet fully completed. The size of the filtering surface of the kidneys in a newborn baby is five times smaller than expected. And only by the end of the sixth month of the child's life does the surface size approach normal. During intrauterine development, the kidneys do not yet function as a full-fledged excretory organ. All unnecessary substances from the child's body are excreted with the help of the placenta. However, nevertheless, a small amount of urine accumulates in the renal pelvis, as a result of which it expands even before the birth of the baby. There is no need to worry about this, as it is a completely normal physiological phenomenon. The dilation of the renal pelvis disappears by about one and a half years.
The principle of the urinary system
Before we start talking about kidney diseaseand urinary tract, it is necessary to mention how they function. The kidney itself consists of a calyx and a pelvis, in which, in fact, urine is formed. The formed urine enters the bladder through the ureters, and from there through the urethra (urinary canal) it is excreted from the human body. Filling of the bladder occurs gradually, therefore the urge to urinate appears in a person only when his bladder is more than half full. In the same case, if there is a violation of the nervous regulation of this process, all sorts of dysfunctions of the urinary tract occur. Most often, kidney diseases and disruptions in the normal functioning of the urinary system occur at critical moments in the development of the child. Such periods include:
The highest risk of developing diseasesurinary tract in those children whose parents suffer from either pyelonephritis or endocrine diseases. Mom and Dad should be especially attentive to the health of such children so as not to miss the first warning signs. After all, the earlier the treatment is started, the more successful it will be.
Types of diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract
Today, modern medicine knows more than 30 different diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. This article will only tell you about the most common of them, such as:
- Urinary incontinence
If the child is unable to hold urine in the bladderbladder and does not feel the urge to urinate, we can talk about such a disorder as urinary incontinence. Such a disorder can cause a lot of problems for both the child and his mother. However, it is important to keep in mind that a child is able to control his urination no earlier than he is one or two years old. Until then, the diagnosis of "urinary incontinence" is not made.
- Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence, although it has a similar namewith the previous disorder, is essentially different from it. The child feels the urge to urinate, but cannot hold his urine and does not have time to run to the toilet.
- Enuresis
Enuresis is the term used to describe nocturnal incontinence.During the day, the child has complete control over his urination, but in the morning he wakes up in a wet bed. Moreover, such a disorder without proper treatment can persist in the child throughout his life.
- Pathological enlargement of the kidneys
It was already mentioned above that for small childrenChildren are characterized by physiological dilation of the renal pelvis, which disappears on its own by the age of one year. However, pathological dilation of the renal pelvis also occurs. There are quite a large number of reasons that can cause it. Such reasons can be reflux, causing urine to flow back from the ureter back into the kidney, and vascular anomalies of the kidneys, leading to pathological changes in the renal tissue. All small children should undergo an ultrasound examination of the kidneys during the first month of life. And if the baby is found to have physiological dilation of the renal pelvis, regular monitoring of the child's health is necessary in the future. Control ultrasound examinations should be carried out every three months. Such tactics will allow timely detection of all violations and timely take the necessary measures aimed at preventing deterioration of the child's condition.
- Urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections are the mosta common kidney disease in children. As a rule, every third child suffers from it at least once in their life. In terms of frequency of occurrence, this disease is second only to acute respiratory infections. There are several types of such infections:
Bacteria enter the urinary systemascending. First, bacteria get to the perineum and genitals, then they move up the urethra to the bladder and from there to the kidneys. By the way, girls are much more susceptible to infectious diseases of the urinary system than boys. This happens due to the physiological features of the structure of the genitals of girls. Their urethra is wider and shorter, which makes it much easier for bacteria to penetrate. It is because of this that the issue of personal hygiene for girls requires more attention - it is very important to wash a little girl correctly: from front to back, so as not to bring pathogenic bacteria from the anus to the baby's genitals. After she grows up, her mother should teach her to do this herself.
- Renal insufficiency
In case the child suffers from kidneyfailure, his kidneys, depending on the severity of the disease, can partially or completely stop performing their functions. Complete cessation of kidney function leads to acute renal failure - a condition that threatens the child's life and requires immediate medical care. With renal failure, the child's body experiences an electrolyte imbalance, and a significant amount of uric acid accumulates in the blood. Doctors distinguish two forms of renal failure: chronic and acute. Chronic renal failure is usually a direct consequence of certain chronic diseases, such as pyelonephritis, diabetes mellitus, or congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract. Acute renal failure almost always occurs as a result of exposure to the kidney of either toxic substances or large doses of drugs.
- Nephroptosis
Doctors call this disorder nephroptosiskidney structure, in which it is not fixed in a certain position, but is mobile. In common parlance, this disease also has such names as a mobile kidney, a wandering kidney, or a prolapsed kidney. If a mobile kidney prolapses, there is a huge risk that it will turn around its axis. Because of this twisting, the vessels stretch and bend. This phenomenon is extremely dangerous, since it disrupts the blood circulation of the kidney. The peculiarities of female physiology make girls more susceptible to this disease than boys.
- Increased salt content in the urine
In the event that the child has a disturbance in normalmetabolism, very often the amount of salt crystals in the urine increases. The most common are phosphates, urates and oxalates. In addition to metabolic disorders, a factor that provokes an increased content of salts in the urine may be an improperly balanced diet of the child, in which the kidneys do not have time to dissolve the salts. The content of oxalates in the urine increases if the diet contains a large amount of such products rich in vitamin C and oxalic acid. Such products include spinach, beets, celery, parsley, sour apples, currants, radishes, cocoa, chocolate, cottage cheese, broths, etc.). An increased content of urates in the urine is caused by the baby's diet, saturated with purine bases. Such products include offal, liver, broths, pork, fatty fish, sardines, tomatoes, strong tea, acidic mineral waters. The content of phosphates in urine increases if the child's diet is rich in phosphorus-rich foods, such as cheese, fish, caviar, pearl barley, buckwheat, oatmeal and millet, peas, beans, alkaline mineral waters. As a rule, in such cases, changes in urine in children are temporary. With timely adjustment of the child's diet, the composition of urine returns to normal very quickly. However, in no case should this problem be ignored, considering it something frivolous. If parents do not urgently review their child's diet, there is a high risk of sand and even stones forming both in the kidneys and in the bladder. And urolithiasis is a serious and extremely unpleasant disease that requires long-term and complex treatment.
Symptoms of kidney and urinary tract disease in children
As a rule, it will not be difficult for attentive parents to notice kidney disease in a child. All diseases have a certain number of symptoms:
- Painful sensations in the lumbar region. And the pain can be both acute and pulling.
- Change in the color of urine, its turbidity and the appearance of blood.
- Increased body temperature for no apparent reason.
- The appearance of edema of the face, especially in the morning, after the awakening of the child.
- The appearance of so-called "bags" under the eyes.
- Feeling of weakness, fast fatigue of the child.
- Sensation of dry mouth, constant thirst.
However, sometimes some kidney diseasesproceed in a latent form, without standard symptoms. That is why parents should pay attention to absolutely any changes in the child's well-being. Symptoms of diseases of the urinary system in children under one year: A small child cannot complain to parents about unpleasant and painful sensations in the lumbar region and discomfort when urinating. Therefore, parents of babies should be especially attentive. Signs of kidney disease in children under one year:
Symptoms of kidney disease in children olderone year old: Parents of older children, after about one year of age, should also be concerned if the child has the following symptoms:
Under no circumstances should this be ignoredany kidney disease in children, since the consequences for the child's health can be the most unpredictable. For example, congenital kidney pathologies or chronic urinary tract diseases can lead to a significant lag in the child's physical development. In addition, chronic forms of various diseases can lead to such a formidable phenomenon as acute renal failure. This disease can threaten not only the health, but also the life of the baby.
Treatment of urinary tract diseases
If you discover any of the following in your child:the above symptoms, parents should seek help from a pediatrician - urologist or, in his absence, a pediatrician as soon as possible. In no case is it acceptable to begin treatment on your own, on the advice of grandmothers or friends. In some cases, such self-treatment can bring improvement, but only temporary, since the disease will not be completely eliminated, but only driven deeper. And in some cases, self-treatment can lead to very serious complications and even endanger the child's life. Before prescribing any treatment, the doctor will prescribe a number of studies that are necessary to compile a complete picture of the disease and make the correct diagnosis. As a rule, the child undergoes the following studies:
- General urine analysis
It allows to detect the presence of sediment in urinesalts, blood particles, red blood cells. Having the results of a urine laboratory test in hand, the doctor will get an idea of what is happening in the urinary system of a sick child. In order for the urine results to be correct and not distorted, the urine must be collected correctly. Wash the child thoroughly and collect the urine in a perfectly clean container. If we are talking about a teenage girl, you should not take a urine test during menstruation.
- General blood analysis
A general blood test will help determine whether there are any inflammatory processes or signs of general intoxication in the child’s body.
- Ultrasound examination of the kidneys
Ultrasound examination allows to detectcongenital anomalies of the structure of the urinary system organs, their pathological changes or the presence of sand and stones. Based on the complaints of the parents and the child and the results of the examinations, the doctor will make a diagnosis and prescribe a treatment plan suitable specifically for your child. To successfully get rid of the disease, parents must strictly follow all the doctor's instructions and carry out all his appointments. Be healthy! We recommend reading:
