Rising incidences of kidney stones in children due to changes in dietary lifestyles, says DMCH Doc

Ludhiana, September 26, 2016: “Incidences of kidney stones are increasing in children due to changes in dietary lifestyles like junk food which have high sodium content, less water intake, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, preference of indoor games and more orientation towards wrong type of fluids like soft drinks and caffeine drinks instead of natural fruit juices” explained Dr Baldev Singh Aulakh, Professor of Urology and Head of Transplant Unit.
A 3- years old male child was having recurrent blood in urine since one year. After undergoing several tests, he was diagnosed to have left kidney stone of 15mm size. After consulting many doctors, the parents finally approached Department of Urology,DMCH. Dr Baldev Singh Aulakh examined the patient. Options were either to remove stone by traditional open surgery where long incision is required or by a challenging and expertise demanding key hole surgery known as Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy(PCNL). In children due to small kidney size, PCNL is challenging as compared to adults. The stone in kidney of child was removed by PCNL method and child was discharged on second day with 100% clearance of stone. In this technique, small wire is passed into kidney and that site is dilated to allow access for camera used to see and remove stone.
Dr Aulakh explained, ‘Sign and symptoms in child could be pain while urinating, only fever, pain in lower abdomen or child could only have mild red coloured urine without any pain’. A simple ultrasound can diagnose a kidney stone upto size of 1 mm. smaller stones upto 6mm can pass out in urine by encouraging more water intake. Larger stones may need timely intervention to prevent permanent damage to kidney. He further said” if the stone has been smaller than 15mm, External Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWLl) could have been done in which child only have to lie down on a table and stone is powered by shock waves produced by machine. it is a painless procedure. but stone size more than 15mm and which are hard to be powered by machine needs surgical intervention in form of pcnl. it is a least traumatic surgery in which stones are removed from kidney by a keyhole incision and patient can continue his routine after 2-3 days of surgery. as compared to adults this surgery in children is challenging and difficult.”
FACTORS INCREASING CHANCES OF STONE FORMATION IN CHILDREN:
• LESS WATER INTAKE
• INCREASED INTAKE OF JUNK FOOD
• INCREASED INTAKE OF SOFT DRINKS AND CAFFEINE DRINKS
• CONGENITAL DEFECTS IN URINARY TRACT
• SOME GENETIC MUTATIONS
• OBESITY
• SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE
SIGNS IN CHILDREN TO GET TIMELY UROLOGIST CONSULTATION:
• PAIN WHILE URINATING
• BLOOD IN URINE
• URINE LEAKAGE
• FEVER
• FLANK PAIN/HEAVINESS