Very often the first indication that children have a kidney disorder is the discovery of blood or protein in the urine by their primary pediatrician. Other times, pediatricians may become concerned about elevated blood pressure or the failure of children to grow normally or if they see disturbances in normal bone growth. Other times, parents may be the first ones to visibly notice blood in their child's urine, unusual swelling above their child's eyes or elsewhere in their body, or become concerned about discomfort or pain their child is experiencing. Some of the most commonly seen kidney disorders are nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, structural kidney disease, and many metabolic kidney disorders, such as hypercalciuria and kidney stones.
Nephrotic syndrome is a puzzling condition still.
It typically begins with puffiness around the child's eyes and is characterized by the presence of unusually large amounts of protein in the urine and consequently lowered levels of protein in the blood. Glomerulonephritis is a group of diseases that cause inflammation of the glomeruli, the tiny kidney structures that filter blood. Hypercalciuria is the finding of an excessive amount of calcium in the urine. This condition may cause blood in the urine, contribute to the formation of kidney stones, or may even contribute to poor bone formation. Since so many kidney diseases or conditions first present with a wide variety of signs or symptoms, pediatricians often refer all children they suspect of having a kidney disorder to a pediatric nephrologist.