Doctors warn of increase in kidney stones in young children as LA boy, 4, suffers from golf ball-sized crystals – and they say climate change and processed foods are to blame

Many people think of kidney stones as something that happens to adults, but doctors warn that they are becoming more common in children.

The problem, also known as kidney stone disease, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, will affect about 11 percent of Americans at some point in their lives.

A kidney stone is a small, hard deposit of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys.

While most stones are small enough to pass naturally into the urine, others, like the one affecting four-year-old Alex Zellers, are so large that they need to be surgically removed.

Although experts can’t pinpoint one thing in particular, doctors say the environment, diet and medications all contribute to the increase in kidney stones.

One stone in Alex’s kidney was the size of a golf ball, while the other in his bladder was the size of a lacrosse ball

Alex has suffered from painful kidney stones most of his life due to a genetic disease called cystinuria, which means his body cannot absorb certain amino acids.

One amino acid, cystine, then builds up and crystallizes in the urine, causing kidney stones to form at a young age, Dr. Greg Tasian, a pediatric urologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told me. KABC TV.

One stone in Alex’s kidney was the size of a golf ball, while another in his bladder was the size of a lacrosse ball. Because his stones were so large, he had to have them surgically removed by specialists at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“It looked like a giant, compact egg… a big mass,” said Alex’s mother, Kate.

Due to his condition, Alex has had recurring urinary tract infections, blood in his urine and has had multiple kidney stones. There is no cure for cystinuria, but it can be controlled with medications.

Cystinuria is responsible for approximately one percent of all kidney stones, according to NYU Langone Health.

Because Alex’s stones were so large, he had to have them surgically removed by specialists at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Although Alex’s condition is rare, affecting one in 15,000 people in the U.S., Dr. Tasian said he’s seeing more and more children with kidney stones overall.

The increase in kidney stones in younger people may be due to children eating more ultra-processed foods, the overuse of antibiotics and higher temperatures, which can lead to dehydration.

High amounts of sodium from processed foods such as chips, meat and sports drinks can lead to extra minerals in the urine that can become kidney stones.

Some studies have also linked disruptions in the gut microbiome – the ecosystem of microbes in the intestines – to the occurrence of kidney stones. The disruptions may be caused by excessive use of antibiotics, studies imply.

Dehydration due to low fluid intake leads to more concentrated urine, which can result in mineral saturation that eventually forms kidney stones.

“As the world warms due to climate change, this is expected to increase the number of stones,” Dr Tasian said.

Kidney stones are caused by waste products in the blood-forming crystals. Over time, the crystals build up and form a hard, stone-like clump.

Once a kidney stone has formed, the body will try to excrete it naturally through the urine. Most are small enough to do this and can be managed at home.

However, when they grow too large, they can become extremely painful and usually require surgery to remove them.

Common symptoms include abdominal, flank or groin pain, blood in the urine, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting.

Dr. Tasian recommends people drink plenty of water, cut back on sugary drinks and lower their salt intake to reduce the risk of kidney stones.