Kidney Stones Cases Rise in U.S. Children

To the great surprise of parents, kidney stones, once considered a disorder of middle age, are now showing up in children as young as 5 or 6. While there are no reliable data on the number of cases, pediatric urologists and nephrologists across the country say they are seeing a steep rise in young patients. Some hospitals have opened pediatric kidney stone clinics.

The increase in the United States is attributed to a host of factors, Poor diet is the leading cause of kidney stones, which are crystallizations of several substances in the urine. Stones form when these substances become too concentrated. Forty to 65 percent of kidney stones are formed when oxalate, a byproduct of certain foods, binds to calcium in the urine. (Other common types include calcium phosphate stones and uric acid stones.) And the two biggest risk factors for this binding process are not drinking enough fluids and eating too much salt; both increase the amount of calcium and oxalate in the urine. Excess salt has to be excreted through the kidneys, but salt binds to calcium on its way out, creating a greater concentration of calcium in the urine and the kidneys.

Experts mentioned not just salty chips and French fries, but also processed foods like sandwich meats; canned soups; packaged meals; and even sports drinks like Gatorade, which are so popular among schoolchildren they are now sold in child-friendly juice boxes. Children also tend not to drink enough water.

A common misconception is that people with kidney stones should avoid calcium.

Bonnie - low levels of B-6 and magnesium prevent kidney stones. Highly processed foods contain very little, if any, of these key nutrients.