Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury

Pediatric acute kidney injury refers to the sudden loss of kidney function due to an underlying illness.

What is a Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury?

Acute (sudden) kidney injury, formerly called acute renal failure, occurs when a kidney is damaged suddenly due to an illness or condition – not because of a blow or injury to a kidney as the name might suggest. It’s a sudden onset of kidney failure that can happen within a few hours or days.

What are the signs and symptoms of a Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury?

Abdominal pain
Chest pain or pressure
Confusion
Dehydration
Fatigue
Fluid buildup in body
High blood pressure
Infrequent urination
Nausea
Epilepsy/Seizures
Shortness of breath
Slight backache
Swelling in legs, ankles and around the eyes

What are the causes of a Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury?

Causes of acute kidney injury include:

Slow blood flow caused by:

Blood or fluid loss
Burns
Heart attack or heart failure
Low blood pressure
Major surgery
Organ failure
Overuse of NSAID pain medicines (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen)
Severe allergic reactions

Conditions:

Certain kidney diseases or conditions, including hemolytic uremic syndrome
Multiple myeloma cancer (cancerous plasma cells)
Scleroderma (diseases that affect connective tissues that support internal organs)
Sepsis (life-threatening infection)
Inflamed blood vessels, or “vasculitis,” which can scar blood vessels, making them stiff, weak and narrow