Prevention & Awareness of Paediatric Nephrology Diseases

Kidney health determines the overall health and growth of children. Maintaining good renal health becomes very crucial, as pediatric kidney issues have been on the rise in the recent decade. Creating awareness and following preventive measures help significantly to reduce the risk of kidney problems in children.

Healthy Habits to Prevent Kidney Disease in Children

Building good and healthy habits is the first step to preventing kidney diseases in children. Parents play a pivotal role in cultivating these habits in children:

Key components to focus on:

• Hydration: Ensure your child receives the right amount of water intake (not too less not too more)
• Balanced diet: Make a combination of fresh veggies, fruits, and whole grains and limit sodium intake and processed foods.
• Physical activity: encourage your child to regularly exercise to manage healthy weight and avoid stress on the kidneys.
• Avoid excess sugars
• Schedule regular health checkups

Adopting healthy habits helps in reducing the risk of CKD in children

Practical Tips for Supporting Healthy Kidneys in Kids

Practical tips to enhance kidney health in kids include:

• Follow good hygiene (helps in preventing urinary infections)
• Limit salt intake
• Use kidney friendly foods (berries, nuts, leafy greens)
• Avoid over the counter medications
• Maintain healthy weight

Small lifestyle changes can make a significant change while protecting your kidney functions over the period

How to Recognize Early Signs of Kidney Disease in Children

• Parents should watch for signs like:
• Discoloured urine
• Foamy urine
• Blood in urine
• Swelling or puffiness in the face, hands and legs
• Painful urination
• Irritable urination
• Frequent urination
• Hesitant to urinate
• Weakness or unexplained tiredness
• Refusal to eat

Key Symptoms of Pediatric Kidney Disease Parents Should Know

• Early symptoms include:
• Abdominal pain
• Recurrent UTIs
• High blood pressure in older kids

Advanced symptoms include:

• Slow growth
• Development delay
• Anemia
• Fatigue
• Reduced urine output
• Nausea and vomiting
• Poor sleep

Early detection of symptoms paves the way to better treatment outcomes and preventing complications.

Raising Awareness: Protecting Children's Kidney Health

Creating awareness about pediatric kidney health helps in early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Here's how you can help your kid through awareness:

• Educate your kid: Tell them about the importance of drinking water, healthy eating and maintaining good hygiene practices.
• School programs: Collaborate with schools to create awareness among other kids
• Community campaigns: Conduct awareness drives, workshops, and health screenings
• Promote regular health checkups for children with family history of kidney diseases

Major Risk Factors for Pediatric Kidney Disease

Understanding risk factors helps parents in taking measures to protect their child’s kidneys

Few common risk factors of pediatric kidney disease include:

• Family history of kidney related issues
• Congenital defects of kidneys and urinary tract
• Obesity
• Recurrent urinary infections
• Chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension

Preventing pediatric kidney diseases requires awareness, healthy habits, and early interventions. As a parent, you can empower your child by promoting good hygiene, balanced nutrition, and routine checkups.

NU Hospitals is dedicated to providing expert care in pediatric nephrology, ensuring your child’s kidney health remains a top priority.

Contact us for personalised guidance and comprehensive treatment options.