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Averting the legacy of kidney disease-focus on childhood
Julie R Ingelfinger1, Franz Schaefer2, Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh3
1Harvard Medical School, USA.
Insights
Childhood kidney disease, often stemming from congenital issues, can lead to adult chronic kidney disease (CKD). Early detection and intervention are crucial for at-risk children to prevent or treat kidney disease effectively.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood kidney disease primarily involves congenital anomalies and inherited disorders, unlike adult CKD where glomerulopathies and diabetes are more common.
- Acute kidney injury in children can lead to long-term sequelae, including hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Premature birth and being small-for-date newborns increase the risk of developing CKD later in life.
Discussion:
- Early identification of kidney disease in high-risk children is essential for timely prevention and treatment.
- Advanced CKD in childhood is treatable, with children often responding better to kidney replacement therapy than adults.
- Disparities in healthcare access necessitate efforts to ensure effective treatment for all children with kidney disease, regardless of location or economic status.
Key Insights:
- Congenital anomalies and inherited disorders are the leading causes of CKD in children.
- Early life factors significantly influence the risk of developing CKD later in life.
- Pediatric CKD management requires a focus on early detection, prevention, and equitable access to care.
Outlook:
- World Kidney Day aims to raise public, policymaker, and caregiver awareness of childhood kidney disease needs and treatment possibilities.
- Continued research and advocacy are vital to improve outcomes for children with kidney disease globally.
- Addressing healthcare disparities is critical to ensure all children receive necessary kidney disease care.
Abstract:
World Kidney Day 2016 focuses on kidney disease in childhood and the antecedents of adult kidney disease that can begin in earliest childhood. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in childhood differs from that in adults, as the largest diagnostic group among children includes congenital anomalies and inherited disorders, with glomerulopathies and kidney disease in the setting of diabetes being relatively uncommon. In addition, many children with acute kidney injury will ultimately develop sequelae that may lead to hypertension and CKD in later childhood or in adult life. Children born early or who are small-for date newborns have relatively increased risk for the development of CKD later in life. Persons with a high-risk birth and early childhood history should be watched closely in order to help detect early signs of kidney disease in time to provide effective prevention or treatment. Successful therapy is feasible for advanced CKD in childhood; there is evidence that children fare better than adults, if they receive kidney replacement therapy including dialysis and transplantation, while only a minority of children may require this ultimate intervention Because there are disparities in access to care, effort is needed so that those children with kidney disease, wherever they live, may be treated effectively, irrespective of their geographic or economic circumstances. Our hope is that World Kidney Day will inform the general public, policy makers and caregivers about the needs and possibilities surrounding kidney disease in childhood.
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Kidney Disease I: Introduction
Acute Kidney Injury III: Clinical Manifestations
Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
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Chronic Kidney Disease II: Clinical Manifestations

