This is my field of special expertise, from bedwetting, complicated urinary tract infections and congenital abnormalities of the renal tract to intrinsic disease of the kidneys, nephrotic syndrome, acute and chronic glomerulonephritis. I am also specialised in the treatment and management of kidney failure in children.
I am an honorary senior lecturer at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s hospital and attend and teach there weekly as well as working closely with their fantastic Kidney team.
The kidneys, which happen to be my favourite organ, are the body’s very efficient filtering system to excrete excess water and electrolytes, medications and other breakdown products of the bodies ongoing metabolism.
A bad heart makes you blue or short of breath, a bad liver makes you yellow, but kidneys often sneak up on you and only show their disorder when they have entirely failed. It is, thus, important to screen for kidney disease:
- Antenatal ultrasounds can show structural defects
- Urine dipstix with fever or annually will indicate infection or inflammation of the kidneys
- An annual blood pressure check in children can show kidney problems.
Catching wee in children is a challenge, but when a fever occurs without an obvious cause, parents should regard this as the first step and book a consultation immediately.
