HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Kidney problems in children
Rarurau whanewhane ki ngā tamariki
The kidneys are part of the urinary tract system. They are two bean-shaped organs that sit just below your ribs, one on each side of your spine. Their job is to remove waste and water from your blood. The extra fluid and waste they remove are passed along to your bladder through tubes (ureters). They then pass out of your body as urine through another tube (urethra).
Most people are born with 2 kidneys, though some people only have 1. If you only have 1 kidney, and it is healthy, you will not have any problems.
This page has information about some of the problems that tamariki (children) can get with their kidneys. The Kidneys section has more information about healthy kidneys and how they work.
Causes of kidney problems in children
Many different conditions can affect the kidneys. Some are temporary and can be treated, while others can have more long-term effects. Causes of kidney problems for tamariki include:
- Birth defects (congenital defects) that happen while a pēpi (baby) is developing in the mother's womb. These may be found during a routine ultrasound scan during pregnancy or discovered after birth.
- Urinary reflux, where the urine flows back from your bladder to your kidneys. This can cause scarring in your kidneys.
- Blockages along the urinary tract.
- Frequent urinary tract infections.
Some diseases that can cause kidney damage include:
- Hereditary diseases (diseases passed from parents to their tamariki). For example, polycystic kidney disease and Alport syndrome.
- Glomerulonephritis. This group of diseases affects the filtering system of the kidneys. It includes minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
- Diseases that affect the whole body, such as lupus and diabetes.
These diseases can all damage the kidneys' filtering system, causing them to leak protein. If too much protein is leaked, it can cause nephrotic syndrome.
Some kidney diseases do not show up until later in life or after a tamaiti (child) has a bacterial infection or an immune disorder.
Diagnosing kidney problems in children
There are few if any signs of early kidney disease. Some tamariki have mild puffiness around their eyes and face, or foamy wee (urine).
As kidney problems progress, they may have symptoms including:
- Changes in how often they have to wee (pass urine). These can include weeing more or less often, not being able to control the urge to wee, getting up at night to wee or pain when they wee.
- Bedwetting.
- Not wanting to eat much (a poor appetite) or feeling sick.
- Swollen hands and feet.
- Low energy and feeling tired.
Make an appointment to see your general practice team if your tamaiti has any of these symptoms. Your general practice team will take a history of the symptoms and do an examination. They may check your child's blood pressure as it is very important that it is in a healthy range.
They may do several tests to see if there really is a kidney problem. These tests might include:
- Urine tests to check for infection and for protein in their wee. When your kidneys are not working as well as they should, protein can leak into your wee.
- Blood tests to check for signs of infection and how well their kidneys are working. These will include a test for creatinine, which is a waste product your kidneys usually filter out of your blood. If your tamaiti has more creatinine in their blood, it means their kidneys are not working as well as they should.
- A kidney ultrasound, which is a scan that shows the size, shape and structure of their kidneys.
- A kidney (renal) biopsy. This involves taking a tiny sample of their kidney to help find the cause of the problem and see how much damage there is.
- A scan such as a DMSA, which can take pictures of the kidneys.
- Micturating cysto-urethrogram (MCU). This is a special test that looks inside the urethra (tube they wee through) while your tamaiti is weeing.
Your general practice team may refer your tamaiti to a doctor who specialises in children's health (paediatrician).
Treating kidney problems in children
The treatment will depend on what is causing the kidney problems. For example, if they have an infection, they will be given antibiotics to treat the infection. If they have a birth defect, it may be possible to fix the defect with surgery. If their kidneys are damaged, the treatment will aim to control the symptoms and stop or slow down any further damage.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Kidney Health New Zealand
This New Zealand website has good information about kidney disease, kidney transplants and patient support.
- Kidney Kids NZ
Kidney Kids NZ has been set up by parents to meet the needs of tamariki who have kidney disorders and help their whānau (families).
- InfoKID
Information for parents and carers about kidney conditions. Also, tests and treatments in pēpi, tamariki and rangatahi (young people).
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed January 2025.
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See also:
Review key: HIKPC-119687
