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How to Protect Your Baby and Toddler from Kidney Damage

While kidney damage in adults is often a result of chronic conditions, protecting your baby and toddler from kidney damage requires a proactive approach to hydration and diet. Because a child's organs are still developing, they are more susceptible to dehydration and certain toxins. Learning how to protect your baby and toddler from kidney damage involves monitoring fluid intake and recognizing early warning signs of renal stress.

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Part 1

Changing Your Diet

Drink lots of water (if permitted).

Water helps to cleanse your kidneys, which can help to keep your kidneys healthy. Try to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day (1.5 to 2 liters). If you have had kidney stones, then you will need to drink more water. Aim for eight to 12 8-ounce glasses (about 2 to 3 liters) of water per day.

Water helps to cleanse your kidneys, which can help to keep your kidneys healthy.
Try to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day (1.5 to 2 liters).
If you have had kidney stones, then you will need to drink more water.
Aim for eight to 12 8-ounce glasses (about 2 to 3 liters) of water per day.
Water helps to cleanse your kidneys, which can help to keep your kidneys healthy.

Reduce your sodium intake.

A high sodium intake can also make kidney damage worse and make it harder for your kidneys to repair themselves. Aim for less than 2,300 mg per day if you are under the age of 51, and less than 1,500 mg per day if you are over 51. To restrict your sodium intake you will need to get into the habit of reading food labels. Salt is often high in processed foods, so choose whole foods whenever possible. Processed foods that may be high in sodium include:

A high sodium intake can also make kidney damage worse and make it harder for your kidneys to repair themselves.
Aim for less than 2,300 mg per day if you are under the age of 51, and less than 1,500 mg per day if you are over 51.
To restrict your sodium intake you will need to get into the habit of reading food labels.
Salt is often high in processed foods, so choose whole foods whenever possible.
Processed foods that may be high in sodium include:

Limit potassium.

In someone with healthy kidneys, 3,500 to 4,500mg of potassium is the recommended amount; however, in someone with poor kidney function who is on a potassium restricted diet, 2,000 mg is the recommended daily intake.

In someone with healthy kidneys, 3,500 to 4,500mg of potassium is the recommended amount; however, in someone with poor kidney function who is on a potassium restricted diet, 2,000 mg is the recommended daily intake.
In someone with healthy kidneys, 3,500 to 4,500mg of potassium is the recommended amount; however, in someone with poor kidney function who is on a potassium restricted diet, 2,000 mg is the recommended daily intake.
In someone with healthy kidneys, 3,500 to 4,500mg of potassium is the recommended amount; however, in someone with poor kidney function who is on a potassium restricted diet, 2,000 mg is the recommended daily intake.
In someone with healthy kidneys, 3,500 to 4,500mg of potassium is the recommended amount; however, in someone with poor kidney function who is on a potassium restricted diet, 2,000 mg is the recommended daily intake.
In someone with healthy kidneys, 3,500 to 4,500mg of potassium is the recommended amount; however, in someone with poor kidney function who is on a potassium restricted diet, 2,000 mg is the recommended daily intake.

Eat a moderate amount of protein.

Try to get about 20 to 30% of your calories from protein. Eating too much protein can damage your kidneys, but you still need protein for your body’s basic processes.

Try to get about 20 to 30% of your calories from protein.
Eating too much protein can damage your kidneys, but you still need protein for your body’s basic processes.
Try to get about 20 to 30% of your calories from protein.
Eating too much protein can damage your kidneys, but you still need protein for your body’s basic processes.
Try to get about 20 to 30% of your calories from protein.

Part 2

Making Lifestyle Changes

Get other diseases and conditions under control.

Some diseases and conditions can predispose you to kidney disease or may even make kidney disease worse. Try to get yourself as healthy as possible to help your kidneys repair themselves.

Some diseases and conditions can predispose you to kidney disease or may even make kidney disease worse.
Try to get yourself as healthy as possible to help your kidneys repair themselves.
Some diseases and conditions can predispose you to kidney disease or may even make kidney disease worse.
Try to get yourself as healthy as possible to help your kidneys repair themselves.
Some diseases and conditions can predispose you to kidney disease or may even make kidney disease worse.

Exercise

. Getting regular exercise can help you to stay in good overall health, prevent weight gain, and reduce blood pressure. If you are healthy enough for exercise, then you should try to get 30 minutes of physical activity five days of every week.

Getting regular exercise can help you to stay in good overall health, prevent weight gain, and reduce blood pressure.
If you are healthy enough for exercise, then you should try to get 30 minutes of physical activity five days of every week.
Getting regular exercise can help you to stay in good overall health, prevent weight gain, and reduce blood pressure.
If you are healthy enough for exercise, then you should try to get 30 minutes of physical activity five days of every week.
Getting regular exercise can help you to stay in good overall health, prevent weight gain, and reduce blood pressure.

Quit smoking

. Smoking damages your blood vessels and decreases blood flow to your kidneys. Since blood is necessary for healthy tissues, a lack of blood can cause damage and may also make it hard for your kidneys to repair themselves. Smoking also increases your risk of developing kidney cancer, as well as other conditions such as high blood pressure.

Smoking damages your blood vessels and decreases blood flow to your kidneys.
Since blood is necessary for healthy tissues, a lack of blood can cause damage and may also make it hard for your kidneys to repair themselves.
Smoking also increases your risk of developing kidney cancer, as well as other conditions such as high blood pressure.
Smoking damages your blood vessels and decreases blood flow to your kidneys.
Since blood is necessary for healthy tissues, a lack of blood can cause damage and may also make it hard for your kidneys to repair themselves.

Use over-the-counter pain killers in moderation.

When taken too often, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other over-the-counter pain medicines can lead to kidney damage. If you take these medications on a daily basis, talk to your doctor about other options to manage pain.

When taken too often, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other over-the-counter pain medicines can lead to kidney damage.
If you take these medications on a daily basis, talk to your doctor about other options to manage pain.
When taken too often, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other over-the-counter pain medicines can lead to kidney damage.
If you take these medications on a daily basis, talk to your doctor about other options to manage pain.
When taken too often, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other over-the-counter pain medicines can lead to kidney damage.

Part 3

Exploring Medical Treatment Options

Follow a low-protein diet if necessary.

In instances of severe kidney damage, a low-protein diet may be necessary to prevent too much waste from building up in your blood. Protein creates waste that makes your kidneys have work harder to get rid of the waste.

In instances of severe kidney damage, a low-protein diet may be necessary to prevent too much waste from building up in your blood.
Protein creates waste that makes your kidneys have work harder to get rid of the waste.
In instances of severe kidney damage, a low-protein diet may be necessary to prevent too much waste from building up in your blood.
Protein creates waste that makes your kidneys have work harder to get rid of the waste.
In instances of severe kidney damage, a low-protein diet may be necessary to prevent too much waste from building up in your blood.

See if you need to go on a low-phosphate diet.

If your phosphate levels are high, then your doctor may require you to follow a low-phosphate diet. Dairy is rich in phosphate, so you will have to limit your dairy intake and reduce your intake of other foods as well, such as eggs, red meat, and fish.

If your phosphate levels are high, then your doctor may require you to follow a low-phosphate diet.
Dairy is rich in phosphate, so you will have to limit your dairy intake and reduce your intake of other foods as well, such as eggs, red meat, and fish.
If your phosphate levels are high, then your doctor may require you to follow a low-phosphate diet.
Dairy is rich in phosphate, so you will have to limit your dairy intake and reduce your intake of other foods as well, such as eggs, red meat, and fish.
If your phosphate levels are high, then your doctor may require you to follow a low-phosphate diet.

Ask about medications to treat complications.

Poor kidney functioning can lead to a variety of other health problems, so you may need to start taking medications to treat these complications. Some possible complications of kidney disease include:

Poor kidney functioning can lead to a variety of other health problems, so you may need to start taking medications to treat these complications.
Some possible complications of kidney disease include:
Poor kidney functioning can lead to a variety of other health problems, so you may need to start taking medications to treat these complications.
Some possible complications of kidney disease include:
Poor kidney functioning can lead to a variety of other health problems, so you may need to start taking medications to treat these complications.

Consider dialysis.

If your kidneys are not working well enough to clear the excess waste and fluid from your body, then you may need to consider dialysis. You can either have hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

If your kidneys are not working well enough to clear the excess waste and fluid from your body, then you may need to consider dialysis.
You can either have hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
If your kidneys are not working well enough to clear the excess waste and fluid from your body, then you may need to consider dialysis.
You can either have hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
If your kidneys are not working well enough to clear the excess waste and fluid from your body, then you may need to consider dialysis.

Look into a kidney transplant.

If your kidneys have stopped working and you do not wish to do dialysis treatments for the rest of your life, then a kidney transplant is the only other option. To receive a new kidney, you will either have to find a donor or wait for a kidney to become available.

If your kidneys have stopped working and you do not wish to do dialysis treatments for the rest of your life, then a kidney transplant is the only other option.
To receive a new kidney, you will either have to find a donor or wait for a kidney to become available.
If your kidneys have stopped working and you do not wish to do dialysis treatments for the rest of your life, then a kidney transplant is the only other option.
To receive a new kidney, you will either have to find a donor or wait for a kidney to become available.
If your kidneys have stopped working and you do not wish to do dialysis treatments for the rest of your life, then a kidney transplant is the only other option.

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