United for cause: Malnourished children are likely to develop kidney diseases, says doctor

Parents should ensure their children eat healthy foods and exercise regularly

KARACHI: More than 600 citizens from different areas of the city visited the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) for medical screening on Thursday to mark World Kidney Day.

SIUT also organised an awareness session with the theme ‘KidneyDisease and Children - Act Early to Prevent it’. Explaining the theme, SIUT pediatric nephrology department in-charge Prof Ali Asghar Lanewala said that it is the parents’ responsibility to look after their children’s health when they are young.

Prenatal ultrasound is very important for the health of new babies, he remarked, adding that it helps in diagnosing diseases at an early stage.

Parents should also ensure that their children drink plenty of water and pass urine regularly, he said. Child should be brought to hospitals in case of the structural abnormality of the urinary tract, he added. Medical experts urged parents to consult doctors for early diagnosis of diseases among their children to avoid complications at a later stage.

“Unfortunately, there are no statistics on health in Pakistan,” Prof Lanewala pointed out. He said that the national census was also necessary for medical experts to be aware of life expectancy and other similar issues.

Malnourished children have a high chance of developing a kidney related diseases, said Prof Sajid Bhatti. Children residing in upper Sindh and lower Punjab develop stones in their kidneys. “The major reasons are climate of the area and [type of] water available,” he explained.

“Our children eat junk food and elders prefer oily food,” said nutritionist Kehkeshan. Due to this eating outside homes has become a part of our culture now. “Everything starts with eating,” she remarked. Most of the time, youngster don’t develop the habit of exercising daily.

She said that it was the responsibility of mother to ensure that their children consume healthy meals including milk and fruits. Sitting in front of TV, using computers and mobile phones for more than two hours should strictly be monitored, she advised, adding that 60-minute physical exercise for children was essential to avoid diseases such as childhood obesity.

Medical screening

“I never have taken any medical test before,” said 19-year-old student Shifa. “If everything is fine with my body, then I will be very happy,” she said. It is better to be diagnosed at this stage, she said, adding that awareness sessions by different health organisations and hospitals provide an opportunity to general public to get more information regarding importance of a healthy lifestyle.

“My tests were normal last year and I am fit this year as well,” said 62-year-old Ali Asghar. The retired government official remarked that he was very conscious of his health.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.