The kidneys are a very important part of our body. Thanks to them, as they keep our blood clean and our body healthy. There are many pathologies that can affect these organs, but the most widespread is, without doubt, kidney stones. Let’s know more about kidney stones in children.

Kidney stones are small hard deposits developed with the help of mineral salts and acids that are found on the inner surface of the kidneys. Generally, these deposits dissolve in the urine. To know how to treat kidney stones in children, a clinical diagnosis that defines their size, location, a condition of the urinary tract and the age of the patient is necessary.

Read more: Kidney Stones in Teens- Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

A Guide for Kidney Stones in Children

Symptoms of kidney stones in children

• Infants: Colic, with or without vomiting, and recurrent crying associated with febrile symptoms of unknown cause or associated with urinary infection, could indicate the presence of urinary stones.
• Adolescents: The symptomatology is similar to that of adults with abdominal colic, the presence of vomiting and blood in the urine (hematuria). If you see the removal of grit or pebbles when urinating (urination) the diagnosis becomes more precise.
• Pain when urinating, blood in the urine and sharp pains in the back or lower abdomen can be the symptoms of kidney stones.
• A child may also experience nausea and vomiting in addition to pain. However, children who have smaller stones may be able to pass easily with little or no pain or symptoms.

Causes of kidney stones in children

It is possible that the kidney stones that form when substances in the urine become highly concentrated. The following things can cause kidney stones in children:

• Defects of the urinary tract that block the flow of urine and create pools. When the urine stagnates, trapped substances begin to form in stones. Up to one-third of children who suffer from kidney stones have an anatomical defect that affects the urinary tract.
• Children who are affected with a metabolic disease may be more likely to develop kidney stones. The body will go through the metabolization of nutrients in food to obtain energy and eliminates waste that is not necessary. The most common form of a metabolic disease that could result in kidney stones in childhood is hypercalciuria, which results in additional calcium being stored and eliminated in the urine.
• Urinary tract infections can cause kidney stones in children. Certain types of bacteria found in the urinary tract break urea, which is a waste product filtered from the bloodstream and into the kidneys. These substances can form in kidney stones.

Diagnosis of kidney stones in children

The process of diagnosing kidney stones will begin with a doctor taking into account the symptoms a child is experiencing. Pain or blood in the urine may be the first symptoms noted. Urine, pictures and blood tests can help determine if the child’s symptoms are caused by kidney stones.

Other techniques used to make a diagnosis include X-rays, Computed tomography (CT), and Ultrasound.

Remedies to dissolve kidney stones in children

To prevent them from occurring, it is preferable to space out the consumption of chocolate, coffee, cola, beet, nut, spinach, strawberry, tea, and bran, as they contain an element that could help the formation of stones. In turn, not taking a diet with a lot of protein, sodium, and sugar will help reverse the situation.

• Diuretic herbs: Drinking these plants in the form of tea or infusion, it is possible to accelerate the processes of the urinary system preventing the development of the stones or if you suffer from them, eliminate them through urine. Some of the herbs are Parsley, Nettle, Dandelion, Verbena.
• When the first symptoms of pain appear, drink a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with an egg.
• Mix half a liter of warm milk with the same amount of wine. Remove the cream and add a handful of chamomile flowers. Bring it to the heat until it dissolves and drink a cup per day, mainly when the colic begins.
• Boil fresh ginger in a liter of water for about ten minutes. Embed in a cloth and apply topically in the area of the kidneys (the lower part of the back) or where the pain is felt.
• Boil a handful of watermelon seeds with water for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and drink one cup per day so that the kidney stones are naturally eliminated.

The only valid instrument to avoid the formation of kidney stones is prevention. Though there are many remedies and medicines available worldwide, it is not necessary that the one which worked for you will also work for everyone.

References

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/kidney-stones-in-children-beyond-the-basics

http://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/kidney-stones-in-children-reasons-signs-and-remedies/