Children's Kidney Specialist in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What are children's kidney conditions?
Children's kidney conditions are problems with how a child's kidneys form, filter or drain urine. Some are found before birth on a pregnancy scan, some show up as a urine infection with fever, and others are picked up by chance when a urine test shows blood or protein. Many are mild and settle with simple treatment and follow-up; a smaller number need long-term care from a dedicated children's kidney team.
A child's kidneys keep growing and maturing through childhood, so the same test result can mean something different in a toddler than in a teenager. Blood pressure, urine findings and growth are always read against the child's age and size, and that is why children's kidney care is shared between the pediatrician, who knows your child's overall health, and the kidney physician.
Who needs it
Parents are usually referred for one of these reasons:
- A urine infection with fever, repeated urine infections, or an infection in a baby
- Blood in the urine, seen or found on a dipstick test
- Protein in the urine, frothy urine, or puffiness around the eyes in the morning
- Nephrotic syndrome, where heavy protein loss causes swelling of the face, legs and tummy
- A kidney finding on an antenatal scan, such as a swollen (dilated) kidney
- High blood pressure found at a check-up
- A family history of inherited kidney disease
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, your child is seen by a pediatrician from Pediatrics and, where the kidneys need a closer look, by our adult nephrologist, Dr Kulsoom Muhammad, working together. The hospital has no dedicated pediatric nephrologist on staff. When a child needs specialist children's kidney care, such as a kidney biopsy in a child, complex nephrotic syndrome or reduced kidney function, the team refers you to a pediatric nephrology service and shares the results so far. Structural problems of the bladder and drainage tubes, such as reflux or a blockage, are looked after through pediatric urology.
What happens
The first visit starts with a detailed history: pregnancy scans, how your child passes urine, past infections, fevers, growth, diet, family kidney history and every medicine, supplement or herbal remedy given. The doctor examines your child, checks weight and height, and measures blood pressure with a cuff sized for a child's arm, since an adult cuff gives a misleading reading.
A fresh urine sample is tested for infection, blood and protein. Collecting it cleanly is the part parents find hardest, and the nurses show you how to do it for a baby or a young child. Blood tests check kidney function and salts, and a kidney and bladder ultrasound from radiology shows the size and shape of the kidneys with no radiation and no needles.
Treatment depends on the cause. Urine infections are treated with antibiotics chosen from the urine culture. Children with nephrotic syndrome usually start a course of steroid treatment with close urine monitoring at home, alongside advice on salt and fluid, with the detail covered on the nephrotic syndrome page. Raised blood pressure is rechecked on several visits before any medicine is started.
Preparing for it
- Bring pregnancy scan reports that mention the kidneys, and any previous urine or blood results.
- Bring every medicine, vitamin and herbal remedy your child takes, in its packaging.
- Write down the dates of past urine infections and fevers, and what treated them.
- Keep your child well hydrated beforehand, so they can give a urine sample in clinic.
- Bring a favourite toy or snack to keep a younger child settled during the blood pressure check.
Afterwards
Many children need only a repeat urine test and a follow-up visit. Others are seen at intervals to recheck blood pressure, urine and growth, and children with nephrotic syndrome learn a home urine dipstick routine that parents quickly become confident with. If a referral is made, we explain where your child is going and why.
In the UAE heat, children lose fluid quickly through sweating, so offer water often, especially after sport and outdoor play. Avoid giving anti-inflammatory painkillers for fever or pain without asking your doctor first, as they strain the kidneys when a child is dehydrated.
Call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department straight away if your child has a fever and has had no wet nappies or passed no urine for many hours, is drowsy or floppy, has swelling around the eyes and legs with breathing difficulty, or passes blood in the urine with very little urine.
Contact the hospital promptly on 06 599 7777 if your child develops new puffiness around the eyes or swelling of the legs, a fever with pain on passing urine, or a sudden rise in protein on home testing.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover pediatric and kidney consultations, urine and blood tests and kidney ultrasound. Referral to a pediatric nephrology service elsewhere may need a referral letter and pre-approval from your insurer, so it helps to check your network early. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Is there a pediatric nephrologist at Dar Al Kamal Hospital?
No, Dar Al Kamal Hospital does not have a dedicated pediatric nephrologist; children with kidney concerns are assessed jointly by a pediatrician and the hospital's adult nephrologist. When a child needs specialist children's kidney care, the team arranges referral to a pediatric nephrology service and shares all the results so far.
What are the risks and limitations of children's kidney assessment here?
The tests used, urine tests, blood tests and ultrasound, are low-risk, with brief discomfort from a blood test being the main drawback. The main limitation is that some conditions, such as complex nephrotic syndrome or declining kidney function in a child, need a specialist children's kidney team, so referral may mean care is shared with another centre.
Should I worry about a kidney finding on my pregnancy scan?
Most kidney findings on pregnancy scans, such as a mildly swollen kidney, are minor and often improve after birth. Your baby usually has a kidney ultrasound in the first weeks or months of life to check, and the pediatrician decides whether further tests or a referral are needed.
Why does my child keep getting urine infections?
Repeated urine infections in children often relate to constipation, holding urine for long periods or not drinking enough, and sometimes to a problem with how urine drains, such as reflux. An ultrasound helps show whether the kidneys and bladder are normal, and pediatric urology is involved if a drainage problem is suspected.
What does protein in my child's urine mean?
Protein in a child's urine can be harmless, especially if it appears only after standing or exercise, but persistent or heavy protein may point to a kidney condition such as nephrotic syndrome. Repeat testing, often on an early-morning sample, shows which it is.
Can children have high blood pressure?
Yes, children can have high blood pressure, and in younger children it more often has an underlying cause such as a kidney problem than it does in adults. It is measured with a child-sized cuff, rechecked on several occasions and compared with charts for the child's age, sex and height.
Is children's kidney care covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover pediatric and kidney consultations, urine and blood tests and ultrasound, though referral to a pediatric nephrology service elsewhere may need pre-approval. Confirm your child's cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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