Kidney Injury

Helping Hand Logoinfographic of the kidneys inside of the body

Your child’s belly (abdomen) has been injured. This has led to a kidney injury. An injury may be a cut, bruise, or tear.

  • Kidneys are in the upper part of the belly, towards the back (Picture 1).
  • The kidneys do a few things, such as removing water and waste from your blood, balancing chemicals in your body, and making hormones to control your blood pressure.

Grading System

Doctors use a grading system to describe how serious the kidney injury is.

  • This grading system is based on how big and deep the injury is. It ranges from Grade 1 to 5.
    • Grade 1 is the smallest cut or bruise.
    • Grade 5 is a large cut or complex injury with a high risk for bleeding or urine leaking out of the kidney.
  • The surgeon will use this grading scale to decide how to treat your child.
  • The grading scale is also used as a guide for your child to return to play and sports.

Treatment

Most of the time, a kidney will heal itself. Treatment is based on your child’s injury.

  • If the injury is severe, the kidney may need to be drained or repaired with surgery.
  • The doctor or health care provider will monitor your child’s blood levels and order medicine to control pain.

Care at Home

After your child leaves the hospital, they cannot play sports or take part in gym class until approved by the urology clinic.

Call the urology clinic if your child has:

  • Belly pain that gets worse
  • A hard time peeing
  • Dizziness
  • More bleeding or blood clots in their pee
  • A fever over 100.8° Fahrenheit (F) or 32° Celsius (C)
  • Nausea or throwing up (vomiting)

Kidney Injury (PDF)

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