in children
Kidney failure in children causes many problems and negatively affects their quality of life. What are the symptoms of kidney failure in children?
Symptoms of kidney failure in children differ from those experienced by adults, which may make it difficult to diagnose a child with kidney failure. What are the symptoms of kidney failure in children?
Symptoms of kidney failure in children
Symptoms of kidney failure in children are divided into two parts, depending on the causes of kidney failure that the child suffers from.
Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the appearance of the following symptoms in children, especially if there is a family history of kidney disease:
1. Symptoms of acute renal failure
Symptoms of acute renal failure are severe and can be noticed quickly because they appear suddenly.
Symptoms of acute kidney failure begin to appear within several hours or days of the occurrence of the cause, the most prominent of which are mentioned in the following:
Feeling of a palpable mass in the abdominal area, stomach pain accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting, and severe bloody diarrhea.
Increased frequency of the child to the toilet or not using the bathroom for long periods, and the child''s feeling of burning while urinating.
Swelling and swelling of the body resulting from fluid retention, and this appears clearly in the face around the eyes.
Paleness of the child''s skin color, and the appearance of a rash.
The emergence of symptoms of inflammation resulting from infection, the most important of which are: urinary tract infections, which are among the main causes of acute renal failure, such as: a child’s high temperature.
2. Symptoms of chronic renal failure
Symptoms of chronic kidney failure develop slowly, and when symptoms begin to be noticed, the kidneys have suffered permanent damage that can only be treated with dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Here are the main symptoms of chronic renal failure in children
Swelling and swelling of the body due to fluid retention, and this appears clearly in the face around the eyes, hands, and ankles.
It is noticeable that clothes leave marks on the child’s body due to pressure on the fluid-retaining part, and fluid retention may lead to high blood pressure and reduce the normal movement of the child who is accustomed to it.
Using the toilet more than usual, and children who can use the bathroom suffer from bedwetting during sleep.
Note that the child does not achieve the expected physical and mental growth for his age group, and this can be seen from his physical structure that is smaller than children of his age, poor academic achievement, in addition to poor concentration.
Loss of appetite, suffering from nausea and vomiting continuously.
Weakness and general fatigue in the body, and suffering from headaches as a result of high blood pressure.
Note that the color of the child''s urine has changed to dark yellow or red, in addition to the appearance of foamy urine, which may indicate a decrease in the ability of the kidneys to filter blood and some large particles, such as: proteins.
Paleness in the child''s face as a result of anemia, and pain in the bones and muscles of the body resulting from kidney failure.
Causes of kidney failure in children
The kidneys have many important functions in addition to filtering the blood, as they have a role in producing red blood cells, building bones, and maintaining the balance of salts in the body.
And in the event of a defect in this important organ, this may lead to serious health problems, and the deterioration of kidney function, either suddenly or over a long period of time, depending on the factors causing the occurrence of kidney failure, and the general health status of the child, and in the following is an explanation of the causes of kidney failure:
1. Causes of acute renal failure
Acute renal failure occurs suddenly, and it occurs for several reasons, most notably the following:
Damage to the kidneys after an accident.
Acute urinary tract infections.
Decreased amount of blood reaching the kidneys, which is often due to excessive blood loss or dehydration.
2. Causes of chronic renal failure
Chronic renal failure is most often caused by
Hereditary or immune diseases that affect kidney function.
A congenital defect in the formation of the kidneys, such as nephrotic syndrome.
Diagnosis of renal failure in children
Depending on the medical examination performed by the doctor, the symptoms of kidney failure in the child, and his medical history, the doctor may order one or more of the following tests for diagnosis:
A urine test to measure the percentage of proteins that are not filtered through the kidneys, including: albumin and creatinine.
A blood test for kidney function, red blood cells, and any other components that may indicate the presence of certain diseases affecting the kidneys.
Ultrasound or x-ray examination, to determine any change in the shape and structure of the kidneys that affects kidney function.
Taking a biopsy of the kidney tissue to be examined under a microscope to determine the type and degree of damage to the kidney cells.
