More U.S. Kids Developing Kidney Stones

[snopes]

Doctors at Johns Hopkins other medical institutions are beginning to report a curious increase in children with kidney stones, another possible consequence of America's dependence on processed foods.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...tones1229.html

[Pseudo_Croat]

I have numerous young friends, and none of them have ever developed kidney stones AFAIK. So, how could one balance a kid's diet to include more water and less salt, yet do it at a relatively low cost and not have to slave at home cooking all day?

- Pseudo_Croat

[Wet Blanket]

My son had a kidney stone at age 13, but the ER docs were pretty sure that he developed the stone as the bizarre result of a bad injury one week earlier. He broke his leg in four places one hot Saturday, and became severely dehydrated the day of his injury. He was flat on his back for several days thereafter, and apparently dehydration plus inactivity is the perfect formula for a stone. I have never personally known of a child developing a kidney stone, and neither had our family doctor. In fact, our doctor felt terrible that he didn't catch the stone sooner when we began calling him about our son's pain. It just didn't occur to anyone at first that a 13-year-old could have a stone. Our son spent the night in the hospital passing his stone, and all the doctors and nurses were talking about what an anomaly it was. How awful if this condition is becoming more common among youngsters--it's no day in the park.

I can see diet and hydration as causing the kidney stone trend in kids. Fast food and processed food is notoriously salty (ever read the sodium levels in canned soup or frozen meals? Yikes.).

One of my younger brothers had his first bout with kidney stones when he was 11 or 12 (this was 10 years ago). When he was in the emergency room, the doctor told our parents that we live in the ''kidney stone capital'' (we live in South Carolina) because of the prevalance of people afflicted with kidney stones here.
He said that while kidney stones tend to run in families (which they do in ours), hydration, or lack of it, was a major factor in the number of kidney stone cases here. Combine the heat with lack of water (we Southerners love our tea and soft drinks!) and there ya go.

I had my first kidney stones a couple months ago and I'm only 31 and a female. I can't imagine little kids dealing with that pain. Poor little things.

[Artemis]

So is just drinking a lot of water a generally good idea? I guess making sure kids drink water consistently, especially if they're at a sports event, is probably for the best?

[Wet Blanket]

Heck yes, kids need to drink lots of water. My daughter the budding personal trainer tells me it's possible to drink too much water--but most people don't come close to drinking what they should.

I wish I had made my children drink more water when they were small, but thankfully, they've corrected this and have become good water drinkers as teenagers. All three of them have taken themselves completely off soft drinks, and I've noticed this encouraging trend among lots of the teenagers I know. Last summer my husband and I traveled with a small church group consisting of 10 teenagers and 4 adults. When we would eat at restaurants our drink order always consisted of 2 Diet Cokes (for the adult women), 2 unsweetened ice teas (for the adult men), and 10 waters (for the kids). I was astounded and impressed that the kids had better "drinking habits" than we adults.

If nothing else, getting off Cokes will help kids who have weight problems. I know a lot of folks who have lost ten or twenty pounds simply by cutting out surgared beverages.

[Pseudo_Croat]

I'm not really sure if I like the idea of weaning kids entirely off of sodas. Water doesn't have a taste compared to soda. What do I do I they want something yummy, not bland, to drink?

- Pseudo_Croat

[Zachary Fizz]

Originally Posted by Pseudo_Croat

I'm not really sure if I like the idea of weaning kids entirely off of sodas. Water doesn't have a taste compared to soda. What do I do I they want something yummy, not bland, to drink?

- Pseudo_Croat

Try fruit juices*, P_C. Or being a little more assertive in your dealings with children.

*But not carbonated ones, and not sugar-filled ones, and definitely not "fruit flavor drinks". If you actually want to make an effort, buy a cheap juicer and some oranges. If you don't want to make an effort, then just don't buy any sodas.

[frogpond]

I had the misfortune of having a kidney stone when I was in my early teens. I'd never experienced anything so painful in my life and hope to never again. If the doctor had told me the cure was to shoot me I would have promptly told him to hurry!

Apparently there is a inherited tendency to forming the stones. My mother had one and one of my brothers did too. After mine I started drinking much more water, and so far, so good.

[kitap]

Odd coincidence; the older step-daughter of one of my co-workers just passed a kidney stone and she is 18 or 19, and he (my co-worker) said the doctor linked it to her love of fast food and horrible diet. They (my co-worker and his wife) can't do much about her diet as she doesn't live at home any more.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Zachary Fizz

Try fruit juices*, P_C. Or being a little more assertive in your dealings with children.

I recommend the latter.

You could also offer iced tea (black, green, white, or herbal) with no sugar.

[hambubba]

My youngest son is currently undergoing this, at 18. He thinks it's diet related, and has welcomed the promise of more home-cooked meals.

And water. His cola consumption has dropped drastically.

[Wet Blanket]

Originally Posted by Pseudo_Croat

I'm not really sure if I like the idea of weaning kids entirely off of sodas. Water doesn't have a taste compared to soda. What do I do I they want something yummy, not bland, to drink?
- Pseudo_Croat

Originally Posted by Zachary Fizz

Try fruit juices*, P_C. Or being a little more assertive in your dealings with children.
*But not carbonated ones, and not sugar-filled ones, and definitely not "fruit flavor drinks". If you actually want to make an effort, buy a cheap juicer and some oranges. If you don't want to make an effort, then just don't buy any sodas.

There are also many good artificially sweetened drinks on the market, although some people avoid articificial sweeteners. That's your call, of course.

Personally I'm a big believer in "everything in moderation, including moderation." Although one of my kids has completely lost the taste for sodas, my other two enjoy them as a treat from time to time. If you don't keep sodas in the house, it's going to be a big treat for your kids when they get to have a Coke at a restaurant or when you buy them for a special occasion.

Originally Posted by hambubba

My youngest son is currently undergoing this, at 18. He thinks it's diet related, and has welcomed the promise of more home-cooked meals.

And water. His cola consumption has dropped drastically.

I cut out tea and Diet Coke after my kidney stone (that horrendous pain tends to do that!)...I'm back on them, but I am drinking more water.

[Pseudo_Croat]

Originally Posted by hambubba

My youngest son is currently undergoing this, at 18. He thinks it's diet related, and has welcomed the promise of more home-cooked meals.

And water. His cola consumption has dropped drastically.

Home-cooked meals? Who has time for that anymore?

Also, fruit juices are expensive. Juicers (even the cheapest ones) even more so.

What's an on-the-go parent to do?

- Pseudo_Croat

[kmcm]

There is another cause of the stones. Too much calcium can cause kidney stones as well. A complicated family member has to lay off the dairy products because his body doesn't process them as well as others. It's not a lactose intolerance, but not processing it.

[Casey]

Originally Posted by kmcm

There is another cause of the stones. Too much calcium can cause kidney stones as well. A complicated family member has to lay off the dairy products because his body doesn't process them as well as others. It's not a lactose intolerance, but not processing it.

Calcium can, as can oxalates. Oxalate stones are rare, but the possibility does exist- they're common in those eating huge amounts of fruit.

[rhiandmoi]

Actually, P_C, a home cooked meal doesn't have to take a lot of time, and there are starting to be more and more convience items that aren't full of sodium and preservatives, and are pretty cheap. I cook every day and it rarely takes me more than 30 mins from start to eating, and I can't use high sodium helpers.

But as far as eating on the go, there are more and more options at fast food these days. Kids meals at all the major fast food places I can think of offer milk and juice as options, as well as a fruit cup of some kind. Most of them will allow the fruit cup or a salad to be subbed in for fries in adult meals as well. If you don't like plain water, squeeze in a couple of lemon wedges.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Pseudo_Croat

Home-cooked meals? Who has time for that anymore?

Lots of people. "Home-cooked" doesn't necessarily mean a gourmet meal. Boil up some pasta. Broil a frozen chicken breast. Steam some vegetables.

Also, fruit juices are expensive. Juicers (even the cheapest ones) even more so.

If money is tight, the parents shouldn't be buying soda, which is not a necessity.

What's an on-the-go parent to do?

- Pseudo_Croat

Act like parents. Say "no" to soda and mean it. Buy bottled water. Buy a water bottle and put tap water in it.

Originally Posted by Pseudo_Croat

Home-cooked meals? Who has time for that anymore?

Also, fruit juices are expensive. Juicers (even the cheapest ones) even more so.

What's an on-the-go parent to do?

- Pseudo_Croat

I have always cut my kids' juice in half with water. The juice bottle lasts longer and the kids get less sugar. If you start with good eating habits when they are very young, they will adapt them as their own.

As for home cooking....if you like to cook, it is very easy to make a good, healthy meal in very little time. Pasta, stir fry, casseroles, scrambled eggs/omletes, crock pot meals that cook while you are at work, salads with grilled chicken etc. Some prep work on the weekends will help during the week if you work full time...wash veggies/salads, grill up some chicken, make egg salad etc.

It is similar to the school lunch debate...all it takes is a little effort to make something healthy for your child/family to eat.

Rainmom