| Abstract: |
This fact sheet helps parents of children with chronic kidney disease understand the role of appropriate diet in helping to keep their children healthy. The guidelines are intended for children who have reduced kidney function caused by chronic kidney disease, have kidney failure and are receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, or have received a kidney transplant. Topics include a rationale for good nutrition in children with kidney disease; general guidelines regarding caloric intake, protein, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, fluids, and vitamins and minerals; how to monitor a child's nutrition; how to encourage a child to eat healthy foods; growth and development; the use of supplements; and understanding the child's lab values (diagnostic and monitoring tests), including serum albumin, serum bicarbonate, blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), body weight, fluid weight gain, calcium, serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), hemoglobin and hematocrit, phosphorus, potassium, urine protein, and TSAT and serum ferritin. The fact sheet offers a blank form for tracking the child's lab values. 1 table. |