Condition Lookup

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Specialty: Pediatrics

Sub-category: Renal and Urologic Disorders

Symptoms:
pain or burning during urination; frequent urination; urgent need to urinate; cloudy or foul-smelling urine; fever; abdominal pain; bedwetting in children; irritability in infants

Root Cause:
Caused by bacterial infections, most commonly Escherichia coli, entering the urinary tract and proliferating.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through a urinalysis (checking for white blood cells, nitrites, or bacteria in urine) and urine culture to identify the causative organism.

Treatment:
Antibiotics are prescribed based on the sensitivity of the causative bacteria. Increased fluid intake and pain relievers may be recommended.

Medications:
Antibiotics such as amoxicillin-clavulanate, cephalexin (cephalosporins), or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (sulfonamide class) are commonly prescribed. In more severe cases, intravenous antibiotics like ceftriaxone (third-generation cephalosporin) may be used.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 3–5% of children annually; more common in girls than boys after the neonatal period.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Female anatomy, improper wiping, constipation, urinary stasis, previous UTI, and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with timely treatment; most children recover completely without complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
If untreated, can lead to kidney infection (pyelonephritis), sepsis, or long-term kidney damage such as scarring.

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR)

Specialty: Pediatrics

Category: Miscellaneous Conditions

Sub-category: Renal and Urologic Disorders

Symptoms:
recurrent utis; bedwetting; abdominal or flank pain; fever; foul-smelling or cloudy urine

Root Cause:
A condition where urine flows backward from the bladder to the ureters and kidneys due to an abnormality in the valve mechanism.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed using a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) and renal ultrasound to evaluate the urinary system and reflux severity.

Treatment:
Treatment may involve prophylactic antibiotics, bladder training, and in severe cases, surgical correction such as ureteral reimplantation.

Medications:
Long-term, low-dose antibiotics (e.g., trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, nitrofurantoin ) may be prescribed to prevent UTIs.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 1–2% of children, more common in girls and those with a family history of VUR.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, recurrent UTIs, or congenital abnormalities in the urinary tract.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most mild cases resolve as the child grows, but severe cases may require surgery to prevent kidney damage.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Recurrent UTIs, kidney infections, and long-term kidney damage such as scarring or hypertension.

Nephrotic syndrome

Specialty: Pediatrics

Category: Miscellaneous Conditions

Sub-category: Renal and Urologic Disorders

Symptoms:
swelling (edema) in the face, abdomen, or legs; foamy urine; weight gain; fatigue; loss of appetite

Root Cause:
Damage to the glomeruli in the kidneys leads to excessive protein loss in the urine, causing low blood protein levels and fluid retention.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through urinalysis (showing proteinuria), blood tests (low albumin, elevated cholesterol), and kidney biopsy in some cases.

Treatment:
Includes corticosteroids to reduce protein loss, diuretics to control swelling, dietary changes (low sodium), and sometimes immunosuppressive drugs.

Medications:
Prednisone (corticosteroid) is the first-line treatment. Diuretics (e.g., furosemide ) and ACE inhibitors (e.g., enalapril ) may also be used to manage symptoms.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Incidence of approximately 2–7 per 100,000 children, most common between ages 2–6 years.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Male gender, infections, allergies, and genetic predisposition.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases respond well to steroids, though some may experience relapses. Prognosis depends on the underlying cause.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased risk of infections, blood clots, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease in severe or untreated cases.

Wilms’ tumor

Specialty: Pediatrics

Category: Miscellaneous Conditions

Sub-category: Renal and Urologic Disorders

Symptoms:
abdominal swelling or mass; abdominal pain; fever; blood in the urine (hematuria); nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; high blood pressure

Root Cause:
A rare kidney cancer arising from embryonic kidney cells, often associated with genetic mutations or syndromes like WAGR syndrome or Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed using imaging (abdominal ultrasound, CT, or MRI), blood tests, urinalysis, and biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment:
Treatment includes surgery to remove the tumor (nephrectomy), followed by chemotherapy and sometimes radiation therapy.

Medications:
Chemotherapy drugs such as vincristine , dactinomycin , and doxorubicin are commonly used in combination.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1 in 10,000 children, typically diagnosed between ages 3–4 years.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of Wilms’ tumor, genetic syndromes (e.g., Beckwith-Wiedemann), and congenital anomalies like aniridia.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis is excellent with early diagnosis and treatment; 5-year survival rates exceed 90%.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Potential for metastasis (to lungs or liver), chronic kidney disease post-treatment, and complications from chemotherapy or radiation.