Diabetic Nephropathy in Children
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body is not able to manage the absorption of blood sugar. Children with diabetes often have high blood sugar and high blood pressure, which over time can damage the kidneys, leaving them unable to filter the blood properly.
Diabetic kidney disease develops slowly and quietly. Kidney damage resulting from diabetes is called diabetic nephropathy. Although rare, it can be a serious condition.
Symptoms of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Children
Signs of diabetic nephropathy include:
- Higher-than-usual blood pressure
- Edema (puffy swelling) in the ankles from water retention
- Protein/albumin in the urine (proteinuria)
Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes-Related Kidney Damage
To diagnose diabetic nephropathy, your child’s doctor will take a urine test to check for protein and may collect urine samples during a 24-hour period to look for a protein called albumin, which increases when kidney disease worsens.
It is possible to slow or prevent kidney damage through;
- Excellent blood sugar control
- Taking medication as prescribed
- Maintaining good blood pressure
Left untreated, diabetic nephropathy can progress to kidney failure, which would require dialysis or a kidney transplant.