NEPHROTIC SYNDROME;Wachout That Your Child Suffer Not From This(PART I).

What is nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome is a set of signs or symptoms that may point to kidney problems. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in the lower back. Each is about the size of a fist. They clean the blood by filtering out excess water and salt and waste products from food. Healthy kidneys keep protein in the blood, which helps the blood soak up water from tissues. But kidneys with damaged filters may leak protein into the urine. As a result, not enough protein is left in the blood to soak up the water. The water then moves from the blood into body tissues and causes swelling.

Both children and adults can have nephrotic syndrome. The causes of and treatments for nephrotic syndrome in children are sometimes different from the causes and treatments in adults. For information about nephrotic syndrome in adults, see the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) publication Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults.

Childhood nephrotic syndrome can occur at any age but is most common between the ages of 1½ and 5 years. It seems to affect boys more often than girls.

A child with nephrotic syndrome has these signs:

• high levels of protein in the urine, a condition called proteinuria
• low levels of protein in the blood
• swelling resulting from buildup of salt and water
• less frequent urination
• weight gain from excess water

Nephrotic syndrome is not itself a disease. But it can be the first sign of a disease that damages the kidney's tiny blood-filtering units, called glomeruli, where urine is made.