The kidneys are paired organs in the body.
They normally filter waste and excess water from the blood. The filer acts like a colander holding some important proteins in and letting water and other particles through.
Cells that normally put up a protective barrier in the filers of the kidney aren’t functioning and become leaky.
This leads to important proteins spilling into the urine.
When this happens, urine becomes frothy, the body swelling, and if left untreated, children are at risk of severe infection, blood clots and kidney failure.
This condition is known as Nephrotic Syndrome and is a common kidney disorder in children
to treat nephrotic kidney syndrome, children must take medications exactly as prescribed. Steroids are the most effective treatment for Nephrotic syndrome. It may take several weeks for the protein to go away.
if your child is having difficulty taking their medication, contact our healthcare team for advice.
Home monitoring for nephrotic syndrome is very important.
measuring urine dipsticks regularly may detect a relapse. it is important to take proper precautions when caring for a child with nephrotic syndrome.
Keep a calendar, diary, or urine test results and medication dose. Collect a small amount of urine in a cup or special bowl that fits over the toilet. Check urine regularly using urine dispensers.
The first urine of the day is the most accurate urine to check. Take a dipstick out of the bottle makes sure to replace the bottle cap right away to preserve the dipsticks. Dip the end of the dipstick that has the testing pad into the urine until it gets completely wet and then remove.
Never urinate directly onto the dipstick or dip it into the toilet.
wait one full minute , compare the color of the square to the colors on he bottle to get the closest color match possible.
write down the corresponding number on the calendar or diary.
patients must also maintain a special diet.
- reduce stake intake. remove the salt shaker from the table. do not add salt to food when cooking. read food labels to determine amount of salt
- eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
- take calcium and vitamin D while on prednisone if recommended by your doctor. This is important to maintain healthy bones.
and it is important to monitor for ongoing symptoms
check urine more often if experiencing a cold or flu
watch for signs of eye swelling or puffiness
call the healthcare team if a fever occurs
your healthcare team is here to help you! contact them with any questions or concerns you may have.
The cells that normally put up a protective barrier aren’t functioning, which leads to important proteins being spilled into the urine.
[The kidney illustration turns dark red. A dark red outline emits from the kidneys. The yellow arrow becomes bigger and turns into a dark brown colour.][On-screen text: Urine becomes frothy.]
When this happens, urine becomes frothy and the body swells. In rare cases, the kidneys fail. This condition is known as nephrotic syndrome and is the most common kidney disorder in children.
[The screen zooms out to the illustration of the child lying in the hospital bed. The zoomed-out kidney illustration turns black.][On-screen text: Nephrotic syndrome]
In Ontario, 5 children per hundred thousand are diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome each year.
[The screen zooms out, showing five children lying in hospital beds.][On-screen text: 5 children per 100,000.][An illustration of a group of health-care professionals and scientists appears on the left side of the screen. A speech bubble with a question mark appears above the illustration.]
Scientists do not yet know what causes this disorder. The INSIGHT research team aims to understand the genetic, environmental, and socio-economic factors leading to nephrotic syndrome.
[The screen zooms into the health-care professionals and scientists. The INSIGHT logo appears above them and pans to the left. Thought bubbles with icons depicting DNA, the Earth and a group of people appear alongside icons of kidneys.]
To do this, we collect blood, urine, and health information from children with nephrotic syndrome.
[The screen zooms out and the health-care professionals appear by the bedside of each of the five children lying in hospital beds. Icons of blood in a test tube, urine in a container and an icon with a lowercase ‘I’ in a speech bubble appear on the screen.]
Understanding what causes this disorder can help improve diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.
[The INSIGHT logo appears on the screen. The text reads, “If you are interested in participating, contact
insight.study@sickkids.ca or visit us online…”]
INSIGHT website
Twitter: @toronto_insight
