A Rise in Kidney Stones for U.S. Children

No longer are kidney stones solely a middle aged disease. While the data isn't fully acquired yet, Hospitals throughout the country are seeing a huge rise in kidney stones in children. The median age for these stones is 10 but there is also a huge spike in the disease in 20 and 30 year olds. While many doctors disagree on the details the overall census is that diet imbalance is to blame. Most kidney stones are a mix of highly concentrated calcium and oxalate, a byproduct of certain foods with very little water. The most common producer of this oxalate is salt. "What we've really seen is an increase in the salt load in children's diet," said Dr. Bruce L. Slaughenhoupt, co-director of pediatric urology and of the pediatric kidney stone clinic at the University of Wisconsin. Especially high salt rates are found in these favorite kids foods; canned soups, sandwich meats, packaged meals, and even in sports drinks like Gatorade. The combination of these salty foods with very little water for the salt to dissolve in is the most likely cause of kidney stones in children. Active kids who drink little water and lots of salt and who have a family history of stones are at most risk to develop kidney stones.