Research Needed into Inherited Kidney Disease in Young Children

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Kidney Health Australia

World Kidney Day
Kidney Disease and Children
Better Knowledge. Better Care

One of Australia's leading nephrologists has used World Kidney Day to call for increased research into the cause of inherited kidney disease in young children.


 Dr Joshua Kausman

Chairman of The Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Nephrology Association Dr Joshua Kausman, MBBS FRACP PhD, in a joint communique with Anne Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Kidney Health Australia said, 'the majority of chronic kidney disease in children arises from inherited conditions, making it critical to concentrate resources on the understanding of these genetic causes in order to find specific treatments that offer a cure.'

Dr Kausman said, 'treatments such as dialysis and transplantation are now highly successful in children whose kidneys fail, but do not offer a complete cure.' Dr Joshua Kausman

Historically, children with kidney failure who receive dialysis or even a transplant have still been at 10-100 fold higher risk of dying and had a life expectancy 25-50 years less than their healthy peers.

'Further, in Indigenous communities in our country, there is a great deal of work to be done to close the gap in health status. Children in many Indigenous communities endure diverse and heightened risk factors including but not limited to recurrent episodes of infectious nephritis.'

'It is crucial that we continue to strive for world's best practice in the detection and treatment of children with both hereditary and acquired disorders of the kidney and urinary tract.'

'Improved knowledge and understanding enables translation into tools for early detection and effective treatment.' 'It is also essential to encourage and facilitate education and a healthy lifestyle in children to combat the increase of preventable kidney damage including acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease.'

Dr Kausman said obesity and high blood pressure are major risks for the development of many health complications in adulthood, including kidney disease; these often have their origins in childhood.

Click here for the Joint Statement Kidney Health Australia and The Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Nephrology Association

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Media Communications, Kidney Health Australia - Mobile: 0417 329 201