A high-salt diet, urinary system defects, family genetic factors and lifestyle can cause kidney stones in children.
Kidney stones form when large amounts of minerals accumulate in the kidneys, condensing into hard crystals. Some diseases cause kidney stones, but many are caused by diet and nutrition.
The cause of most cases of kidney stones in children is abnormalities in metabolism, structure of the kidney or urinary tract, and urinary tract infection. Additionally, diet, genetics, and lifestyle can all contribute to this type of stone.
Metabolic disorder: If your child has a condition or disorder that prevents the body from breaking down food properly, it can lead to high levels of oxalate and cystine in the urine, forming stones.
Congenital defects of the kidneys and urinary tract: Children with structural abnormalities of the kidney or urinary tract can lead to the development of kidney stones.
Dehydration: When children don’t drink enough water, their urine can be concentrated and dark. Not having enough liquid to dissolve minerals normally increases the likelihood of crystals forming.
Diet: The foods your child eats can affect his or her chances of getting kidney stones. Protein-rich foods increase acid in the body, reducing the amount of citrate in the urine, a substance that helps prevent kidney stones.
Another risk factor is a high-salt diet. When large amounts of salt pass through the urine, it can drag calcium with it, increasing the risk of kidney stone formation. Eating foods rich in oxalates like chocolate can make the condition worse.
Family history: If a family member such as a parent or sibling has kidney stones, the child is more likely to develop the same disease.
Children who are immobile for long periods of time due to surgery or other complications are also susceptible to kidney stones. The reason is that bones are inactive and cannot regenerate themselves, leading to calcium absorption into the body.
Common types of kidney stones include:
Calcium stones are caused by eating too much salt.
Cystine stones can form in people with cystinuria, a genetic disorder characterized by the progressive formation of stones in the kidneys, bladder and ureters.
Struvite stones are mainly caused by urinary tract infections.
Uric acid stones can develop after chemotherapy or due to gout.
Children may not have pain when the stone is still in the kidney and has not moved to the ureter. If they block the urinary tract, it will cause severe pain. Common symptoms include pain in the abdomen, side, back or groin; blood in urine; frequent urination; nausea, vomiting. When children have back pain and blood in their urine, parents need to take their children to the doctor soon.
Most small kidney stones pass through the urinary tract and pass out of the body on their own. When kidney stones cause urinary tract infections, the patient may be given antibiotics. In case the stone size is large and does not decrease with diet changes or medication, the doctor may prescribe surgery.