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About Uric Acid in Children

Kidney stones created by uric acid are the most common kinds of stones in children. Uric acid is created when the body breaks down a chemical that is called purines. Purines can be found in foods such as liver, mackerel, peas, dried beans and anchovies. It also can be found in alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine. Uric acid dissolves in a child's blood and passes out through the urine. A body that produces a lot of uric acid and does not remove enough of it will be sick.

  1. Frequency

    • It is uncommon for children to be effected by uric acid. Studies estimate that less than 4 percent of children in the United States who visit hospitals have high levels of uric acid. On an international level, children who live in urban settings are more likely to have uric acid problems than those who live in rural settings.

    Mortality Rate

    • A child who has uric acid stones is not more likely or less likely to die than a child who has any other kind of stone. However, the uric acid production process, which can include malignancy or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, is more likely to cause death. Death from uric acid stones is not common.

    Race and Gender

    • Some children or more likely to deal with uric acid problems than others. White children are more likely to experience problems with uric acid than children of other ethnicities. Uric acid stones are also more common in boys than girls. Therefore, the child who is most likely to have uric acid problems is a white boy.

    Treatment

    • The kind of treatment a child receives depends on the kind of uric acid stone he may have. Children with acute pain should be admitted to the hospital. Children with acute pain and large stones may need surgical assistance. In order to pass the stones, it is best for children to drink plenty of liquids.

    Diet and Activity

    • Although no change in the amount of activity that the child should be doing needs to be changed, the main places where changes need to be made are in the child's diet. A limited amount of liver, beans, fish, asparagus and poultry could all reduce the amount of uric acid produced in children.

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