Kidney stones hitting children in the US
October 29, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Kidney stones have often been described as the only pain a man can feel that would come close to delivering a baby. Kidney stones are incredibly painful and can often – but not always – be prevented.
Sadly, what used to be almost exclusively an adult problem is now affecting more children now. It was virtually unheard of for a child to have a kidney stone before, but pediatric urologists (specialists in the urinary system) and pediatricians are finding more children, as young as 5 years old, developing the stones.
Kidney stones in children made the news in August and September because of the tainted milk scandal in China. The melamine in the milk was causing kidney stones in some of the children. In North America, though, the kidney stones in children are most often the result of eating too much salt.
The human body needs salt to function, but if there is too much salt, it is excreted through the kidneys. However, the extra salt can join with other substances and form into crystals, which is what the kidney stones are.
Processed foods, chips, and many of other foods that children eat are very high in salt. And, if a child doesn’t drink enough water to help flush the kidneys, the perfect environment for stones is present.
How do we limit the risks? Limit – severely limit – the unnecessary salt in your child’s diet. Encourage drinking of water – over soda, over juice, over anything else. Water is the best for the body.
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Tags: chronic pain blog pain blog, kidney stones, kidney stones and salt
