The consultant physician of kidney diseases and chairman of the Pediatric Renal Scientific Committee of the Saudi Fellowship Program, Dr. Khalid Al-Sa‘ran, has revealed that “children are prone to kidney diseases, but to different types than those afflicting adults. For instance, the incidence of chronic renal failure is lower among children than adults. According to the annual report of the Saudi Center for Organs Implantation (SCOI), the rate of children infected with final renal failure, who receive dialysis treatment with either type, does not exceed 5% compared to that among adults.”
He went on adding, “Causes of renal failure among children are different than those in adults. The two key causes of chronic renal failure among adults are diabetes and hypertension, while birth defects affecting kidneys and urinary tract, resulting in frequent urinary infections and glomerulonephritis, are the key causes of chronic renal failure among children.”
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Sa‘ran has pointed out that “urinary tract infection (UTI) and urine albumin syndrome are among the most common kidney diseases amid children. With regard to UTI, it often occurs due to urinary tract abnormalities, which may be detected in the fetus during pregnancy, and therefore, it is important to conduct acoustic radiation to the fetus during pregnancy.”
This has been pointed out by Dr. Al-Sa‘ran while hosted by the National Center for Media and Health Awareness at the Ministry of Health (MOH), coinciding with the World Kidney Day, via the Center’s toll-free number: 8002494444, and the MOH's account on Twitter: @SAUDIMOH; in order to answer the callers’ queries on all different problems related to kidney diseases.
As for the relation between tonsillitis and renal diseases among children, Dr. Al-Sa‘ran stated, “Tonsillitis may lead to nephritis in one to two weeks after the onset of tonsillitis; the matter which requires an urgent treatment in this condition.”
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Sa‘ran has highlighted that “some medicines, such as some antibiotics and analgesics, may harm the kidney, the matter which necessitates abstaining from taking any of such medicines except for certain medical reasons under the supervision of the treating physician.”
“As for the Aspirin being taken by some people in small doses for protection against blood clotting,” al-Sa'ran continued, “there has not been any scientifically proven influence of these small doses on the kidney.”