Kidney Health for Kids

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According to the Department of Health, there are 7000 kidney failure cases each year making it the 9th leading cause of death in the country.

And the number is pretty scary.

More than the cost of the treatment, having a kidney disease can greatly affect one’s quality of life. There’s the numerous medication, regular dialysis, or worse, needing a kidney transplant. I cannot imagine any of my kids going through this and I know moms out there feel the same way.

Kidney disease is not something that we should take lightly. If you are worried about your kids’ kidney health, here are some important things that we should be aware of:

Although no one can predict the future, we can do what we can to avoid these problems. It also pays to teach our children how to take good care of their kidneys while they are young so that they grow up with their health on top of their priority list. By making small changes in our lifestyle, we can help protect our children and ourselves from kidney diseases.

Here are 6 ways that you can start doing at home to help your kids and yourself have healthy kidneys.

Kidney Health For Kids – Tips on lifestyle changes

1. Water – A no brainer. We’ve all seen the ads, reminders and posters about drinking enough water everyday yet we sometimes forget. Guilty party over here! In the past, I would rather save bladder space for coffee but since I’m trying to live a healthier lifestyle and be a better example to my kids, I have started drinking more water on a daily basis. I make sure that the kids bring their water bottle to school and I give them loose change should they need a refill. Drinking enough water keeps kidney stones away.
2. No chips for snacks – Chips are the bane of my existence. I used to be addicted to them especially whenever I have my period. In the past, I would stock up on chips for our movie nights during weekends but I realized that I am setting a not-so-good example for my kids. These days, we have bread or oatmeal or none at all. I just make sure the kids eat well and they don’t usually ask for snacks at night anymore. I have to be honest though, I still eat chips but only when the kids are in school and then I hide the bags. What can I say, I’m still a work in progress!
3.  Cut back on sugar – It has been almost 3 years since I stopped giving my kids juice drinks (in tetra packs, boxes or bottles!). I just have this feeling that it doesn’t matter what they say on the label, these commercial drinks are not 100% natural. So if I can help it, I’d rather make my kids juice at home using fresh fruits like lemons and oranges. Commercial juice drinks and soda may contain artificial coloring and sweeteners which ultimately are bad for the kidney so go slow on these! Better yet, take them out of the diet completely.
4. Get them to run around– regular exercise including active play helps kids maintain overall health including kidneys. This one can be a little hard to do especially nowadays that kids prefer playing online games but there are lots of fun ways to get them up and running outside. Make them walk the dog, take them to the park or even a jog to the nearest bakeshop is better than nothing! One of the reasons why we moved back to Iligan is to give my kids a better shot at this. In Cebu, letting them play outside the house was a no no since we live right by a busy road. Here in Iligan, we live a few steps away from a river where they love to play, my son walks to school and my daughter gets plenty of time to play at the school grounds after their class.
5. Serve more fruits and vegetables – diet that’s high on protein like meat makes your kidneys work a wee bit harder, so ensure a balanced diet by adding veggies and fruits. My kids do not eat some of the vegetables like carrots and broccoli. What I do is I serve them other veggies that they like with similar nutrients. Instead of carrots, I give them squash or cucumber and instead of broccoli, I give them other green leafy vegetables like pechay. I also give them natural supplements for additional boost. My kids may be picky eaters but Google and I are friends. You can do your own research on vegetable and fruit alternatives too!
6. Regular check-up – Aside from prevention, early detection is crucial in taking care of our kidneys. Forget old-wives tales and don’t fall into the “mamaya na” trap. Take your kid to see a health professional should you notice symptoms of kidney infection such as the ones listed above. Regular check-up is even better! Never self medicate as you might just do more harm than good. Have your kids checked at the nearest LH Prime Medical Clinic for a complete check-up and tests. They offer comprehensive medical tests at affordable rates.

Call or visit them at the following branches:

Mandaue Branch
A.S. Fortuna St., Banilad, Mandaue City
345-3488; 345-1266

Mactan 1
Unit 1-4 AT & Sons bldg. Basak, Lapu-lapu City
505-5598; 342-0737; 495-1699

Consolacion Branch
Cansaga, National Highway, Consolacion
423-4046; 238-3602; 505-5599

Labangon Branch
F. Llamas St., Punta Princesa, Labangon, Cebu City
261-4517

Mactan 2
Matumbo-Pusok Road, Lapu-Lapu City
888-6627; 494-3035

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