Increased amount of protein in the child’s urine. What does the presence of protein in a child’s urine indicate?

Increased protein in the urine of a child may signal the onset of pathological changes in the body, but protein levels in the urine do not always indicate disease. There are some situations when doctors determine dual medical tactics.

Increased protein in a child’s urine is a sign of poor health if the rules for taking the test are followed.

Protein (protein) is an important component of the human body, which is involved in the regenerative processes of soft tissues and muscle structure. Metabolic processes in the body of any person are impossible without protein compounds, reactions of protein with other substances.

Normal protein levels in urine tests are determined through laboratory tests and indicate the correct development of the child’s body. If the electrolyte balance is disturbed, the protein level is exceeded, it is said that a pathological process associated with the urinary system is attached.

So what does protein in a child's urine mean? Is it dangerous to exceed it?

Urinalysis and proteinuria in children

Urinalysis is a simple and reliable method of laboratory research that quickly determines the onset of a pathological process in a child’s body.

At the first symptoms of poor health in children at any age, it is recommended to get tested.

Depending on the state of health, objective status, clinical and life history of the patient, several types of urine tests are distinguished:

To collect daily urine, you can purchase a special sealed container at the pharmacy.

clinical (general urine analysis);
24-hour urine test for protein (useful for identifying daily urinary excretion of important chemicals and enzymes, so it is important to know the rules for taking a 24-hour urine test for protein);
according to Nechiporenko (analysis allows you to more fully reveal the picture of the existing illness associated with pathological changes in the kidneys and urinary tract);
Zimnitsky test (the analysis evaluates the concentration ability of nephrons in the kidneys, allows one to suspect the development of renal failure, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis and other kidney diseases).

Each type of analysis, along with other methods of laboratory and instrumental research, allows the doctor to assess the degree of disorders in the child’s organs and systems, make the correct diagnosis and formulate a specific treatment strategy.

Increased protein in a child’s urine requires repeated sampling. If the protein is detected again or if its indicators increase, an additional study is prescribed.

So, what to do if you find increased protein in your child’s urine? What does it mean? Why does my child have increased protein in his urine?

The condition of proteinuria is caused by exceeding the norm of protein in tests.

Proteinuria is classified into several types

A morning urine test will show a reliable picture if it was collected no more than 3 hours ago

postrenal (inflammatory process in the lower urinary tract, pelvic organs, genitals);
renal (renal proteinuria, in which nephrons do not ensure complete absorption of protein compounds, releasing them with diuresis: polycystic kidney disease, tuberculosis, pyelonephritis and others);
prerenal (adrenal proteinuria, indicating an excess of protein compounds: abnormalities in the development of the spleen, violation of blood transfusion technique, and others);
orthostatic (adolescent proteinuria, which is characterized by insufficient functioning of the urinary organs due to hormonal changes in the body, transient infantilism of the urinary tract).

Proteinuria is a temporary phenomenon that is detected during infectious, colds, and fungal diseases of various etiologies. After proper treatment, the protein does not exceed the permissible limit.

Causes and symptomatic picture

Increased protein in the urine of a child is evidence of the development of pathological
process.

When detecting a protein, it is important to consider many factors, such as the age of the child.

Thus, in newborns or infants, a similar condition is often observed (for example, overfeeding the child, fatty formulas, early complementary feeding, etc.). In adolescents, proteinuria is associated with hormonal age-related changes in the body.

Protein in the urine of a child, the causes of which can be reversible, is important to identify in time.

The test is taken in the morning on an empty stomach, which is explained by the lack of physical activity during sleep.

Specific conditions can contribute to an increase in protein in the urine, such as

all kinds of allergic reactions of the body;
hypothermia;
emotional overstrain and stress;
skin burn;
previous infections of any origin;
dehydration of the body.

Increased protein in a child's urine is sometimes not considered a symptom of a serious illness.. After treatment for certain diseases is completed, traces of protein in the child’s urine remain for a long time. As a rule, after the relief of certain conditions and treatment of diseases, the indicators return to normal.

There are other reasons for increased protein in a child’s urine above normal levels.

There is a connection between renal pathology and increased protein in the urine

chronic renal failure;
polycystic kidney disease (adult/children type);
trauma to kidney tissue;
glomerulonephritis;
thrombus formation in the vessels of the kidneys;
abnormalities of the kidneys and urinary tract;
hematological diseases;
diabetes;
hypertension (including adequate antihypertensive therapy) and so on.

If you suspect more serious diseases in the child’s body, just one urine test is not enough to reliably determine the diagnosis. Elevated protein in tests implies further diagnostics.

The symptomatic picture for excess protein levels is often latent and appears only after changes in the functioning of certain organs and systems.

Attentive parents who do not neglect preventive examinations and urine tests help doctors identify various pathological conditions at the earliest stages of development.

Common symptoms of persistent proteinuria include

soreness of bone tissue;
fast fatiguability;
muscle pain;
decreased appetite;
change in urine color;
dizziness, drowsiness;
temperature (with inflammation, protein and leukocytes in the child’s urine);
dyspeptic disorders (nausea, loose stool, etc.).

To obtain reliable information, it is important to take into account the quality of the collected sample and not to neglect the basic rules of urine collection. For any type of analysis, there are certain rules that will allow you to evaluate deviations from the norm.

Normal indicators

If a small patient is in absolute health, detecting protein in urine tests is impossible. The norm of protein in urine in children is calculated in the laboratory.

The average acceptable protein level is considered to be up to 0.036 g/l. When the protein concentration approaches 1 g/l, then it is said to increase moderately. If protein levels exceed 3 g/l, then this indicates persistent disorders in the body of a child of any age.

Protein in the urine of a child, norm, table of values:

Age group	Protein in morning urine	Protein in daily urine
Premature babies (up to 1 month)	< 845 мг	< 60 мг
Full-term babies (up to 1 month)	< 455 мг	< 68 мг
Children under one year old	< 315 мг	< 87 мг
Children aged 1-4 years	< 217 мг	< 121 мг
Children from 4 to 12 years old	< 223 мг	< 194 мг
Children from 11 to 17 years old	< 391 мг	< 238 мг

Objectively, for children from birth to 16 years of age, protein levels in the child’s urine are 0.2 g/l. Protein levels in a child’s urine of 0.1 g/l are also considered normal under certain circumstances.

How to collect a urine test for protein

When taking tests, for example, a general (clinical) urine test, it is important to follow a few simple rules:

Sterility of containers. To sterilize reusable containers, it is permissible to wash them without special means with a sufficient amount of boiled water. For simplicity and convenience of collection, you can purchase special containers for tests at the pharmacy chain.
Hygiene of the external genitalia. The reliability of laboratory data is affected by foreign impurities, so it is important to wash the child’s genitals with ordinary baby soap.
Time of collection and analysis. After collecting the material and transferring it to the clinical diagnostic laboratory, no more than 2.5-3 hours should pass. You should not collect urine at night or in the evening before the morning test. It is important to collect urine on an empty stomach after waking up.

Your child's urine test should be monitored regularly. With age-related changes, after serious viral diseases, after operations and during periods of emotional stress, mandatory urine tests should be taken.

Read about the rules of hygiene for a newborn girl, and for a newborn boy.

Treatment methods and traditional medicine

After passing a urine test, elevated protein does not require special drug therapy, since it is not a disease, but is considered a symptom in the field of nephrological practice.

Depending on the existing disease and the etiological reasons for the increase in protein in urine tests, treatment is prescribed. Diseases require an individual approach to treatment, which completely depends on the reasons that caused the increase in protein in the urine.

In the absence of visible health problems, with a satisfactory objective status of the patient and his clinical history, Pediatricians recommend taking tests again or drinking decoctions of a number of medicinal plants.

Rosehip decoction, infusions of fir squeeze, fruit drinks and compotes based on cranberries or lingonberries, herbal tea with chamomile and propolis, thyme, birch buds or linden can improve the condition of a patient with proteinuria.

A child can be limited in daily salt intake (salt-free diet), but it is important to monitor sodium metabolism indicators.

conclusions

To prevent excess protein in the urine of children, it is important for parents to monitor their health status. In case of minor discomfort, with functional disorders of organs and systems, with various diseases, during the period of recovery and rehabilitation after operations, it is important to visit a doctor in a timely manner and get tested.

Strengthening the immune system, maintaining a healthy lifestyle within the family, and a normal emotional state of the child helps to successfully treat any disease, bring chronic illnesses into stable remission, and sometimes stop the development of a serious pathological process.

14.08.2017

With the normal functioning of organs and systems, protein should not be present in the body of a little person.

It can only be detected as a result of pathological changes, in diseases that affect the system of renal structures and the urinary system.

Prevention

As a preventive measure, it is necessary to take a general urine test of the child once a year in order to be sure of his health. If your baby is due for scheduled vaccinations, or if he gets sick, it is necessary to take a general urine test.

The kidneys of a healthy person and a child in particular work to cleanse and remove foreign, toxic substances from the body. These types of substances are urea and its derivatives, as well as ammonium and indican salts.

Substances and compounds necessary for the body, such as glucose and amino acids, return to the bloodstream, being absorbed from primary urine. Normally, a child filters up to 55 liters of blood plasma, while an adult has up to 175 liters.

If there are residual fractions of protein compounds in the child’s urine, the amount of which is up to 50 mg per 1 liter, should not cause concern.

If the protein content increases to one gram per liter, this may be evidence that minor changes are occurring in the body. If protein compounds reach 3 grams per 1 liter, this means a significant increase, and is called proteinuria.

Diagnostic methods

In order to determine the amount of protein in urine, it is necessary to undergo special laboratory tests. For children, protein determination is used using the highly sensitive quantitative Lowry method. This method allows you to determine up to 100 mg in one day. A method called the Heller test is considered less sensitive, with which you can determine the content of up to 45 mg in one day.

The most sensitive is a qualitative test using a 3% solution of sulficylic acid. Determination methods based on strip tests are also used and are classified as quick diagnostics. This testing method can be convenient even at home.

This type of diagnosis allows you to get results much faster. To do this, you need to lower the strip into the previously collected urine for a few seconds. Within one minute you can evaluate the results obtained.

Increase protein levels in the short term

As soon as the baby is born, he experiences proteinuria of a physiological nature, since the baby’s kidneys are of considerable size. The permeability of the glomerular epithelium is increased. Getting used to new living conditions, his metabolism increases significantly, the functions of systems and organs begin to activate, and the functionality of the kidney structures improves over time.

Often this process can be observed during breastfeeding, in moderation, and kidney function is reduced. Protein fractions are not considered a pathological change in this case. After a newborn has eaten, his urine may be cloudy. In order to eliminate this, it is advisable to reduce the dose of milk that the baby consumes.

In addition, the presence of protein fractions in a baby’s urine, which is temporary, can be caused by the following reasons:

Hypothermia;
Psychological disorders;
Increased body temperature;
Allergic reactions;
Dehydration;
Burns;
Long course of medications;
A reaction provoked by prolonged exposure to sunlight;
Stressful situations.

Most often, the appearance of protein fractions occurs in children in infancy. After a few weeks, everything returns to normal and no trace remains of pathological changes. If the protein remains at a high level, this indicates significant disturbances in the body's systems. The causes of protein in the urine of an infant are:

Intrauterine infection;
Trauma during childbirth;
Oxygen starvation during childbirth;
Developmental defects of the baby;
Infection acquired in the maternity ward;
Infections with bacteria or fungi at home.

This is why it is important to monitor the child’s condition and undergo urine tests on time. It is important to remember that children who have relatives with previous pyelonephritis, inflammation of the glomerular structures of the kidneys, and the presence of stone formations deserve special attention.

Increased protein in a child with illnesses

If protein fractions are detected in a baby’s urine test, this may be a consequence of the following diseases:

Pathological renal changes - kidney inflammation, renal tuberculosis, tumor neoplasms;
Injuries of the urinary organ;
Diabetes;
Myeloma disease;
Hemoblastoses;
Dehydration;
High blood pressure;
Epileptic seizures;
Infectious diseases.

It is important to remember that proteins enter the urine from the blood, which means that their content in the bloodstream is significantly reduced. But proteins perform a huge number of very important functional tasks in an adult and especially a child’s body, supporting its physiological capabilities.

With hypoproteinemia (low protein content in the blood), the following symptoms begin to appear:

Rapid fatigue - the newborn gets tired of sucking
State of drowsiness
Lack of appetite
Increased body temperature
Nausea
Eruption of gastric contents
Change in urine color - it can become red or brown.

If you have symptoms, it is important to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

The laboratory results of a urine sample from a healthy child should not show any protein. If it is contained in urine, it is in such small quantities that the measuring instruments used during the study simply “do not notice” them.

According to nature’s plan, only non-useful, toxic substances should be removed from the body in urine: ammonium salts, creatinine, urea and others. The substances necessary for the body must be absorbed back from the “primary” urine into the blood. “Primary” urine refers to plasma that does not contain high molecular weight proteins.

Protein is a vital substance for the body, which is why it should not be excreted. If protein is found in a child’s urine, this is caused by a disease, and in some cases it may be a variant of the norm.

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Classmates

What pathological conditions are demonstrated by the presence of protein in the urine, what does this mean? According to the amount of protein detected in the urine, the condition is classified as “trace” or proteinuria.

Footprints

It is customary to speak of the presence of traces of protein in urine when the concentration of this substance in a urine sample is low. They can be represented by albumins or immunoglobulins.

Quantitative indicators for a condition called “trace protein in urine” range from 0.03 to 0.05 g/L (grams per liter). Even when the protein in a child’s urine is increased to 1 g/l (no more), this may be a reflection of his excessive activity, overwork or other influences. As a rule, traces of protein are transient in nature and do not cause concern for either parents or pediatricians.

Protein in a urine test may also appear during allergic reactions.

Proteinuria

The determination of proteinuria depends on the method of determining protein in the urine:

more than 0.1 g/l – by test strip;
more than 0.03 g/l – using the method with nitric or sulfosalicylic acid;
more than 0.1 g/l - according to the method of automated research with pyrogallol red.

There are functional (physiological) and pathological proteinuria. According to the form of flow, it can be intermittent (non-constant) and persistent (constant).

In addition, 3 types of proteinuria are known in correlation with provoking factors:

prerenal, or adrenal, - happens with monocytic leukemia, myeloma, lymphoma, myopathy, intoxication, increased hemolysis);
renal, or renal - occurs with amyloidosis, polycystic disease, kidney tuberculosis, glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis;
postrenal – characteristic of diseases of the genitourinary system: inflammation of the ureters, urethritis, cystitis.

When a child is diagnosed with proteinuria, this means that the protein in his urine is elevated with a significant deviation from the reference values.

In order to understand the significance of protein deviations from reference values, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the indicators that are considered normal in children of different age groups. For maximum information, protein excretion in urine is calculated both in a random portion in mg/l and in grams per 24 hours (daily excretion), and in milligrams per square meter of body surface - mg/m2. The last parameter, BSA (Body Surface Area), is considered the most accurate indicator of metabolism.

Increases in urinary protein relative to BSA are measured for clinical purposes such as dosage calculations and others.

Table of norms for protein in urine in a child

Age group	Portion, mg/l	Daily excretion, mg/24 h	Daily for PPT, mg/24h/m2
Prematures up to 4 weeks	90-840	14-60	90-370
Term up to 4 weeks	95-456	15-68	69-310
Up to 12 months	71-310	17-85	48-244
A child is 2, 3, 4 years old	46-218	20-121	37-223
From 4 to 10 years	51-224	26-194	32-235
Up to 16 years old	45-391	29-238	22-180

From the data presented, it can be seen that the norm of protein in the urine of children as they grow older decreases in terms of indicators in a random portion and in a daily sample per body surface area. On the contrary, the rate of daily excretion increases with age.

Reasons for the increase

As noted above, the causes of high protein in a child’s urine can be physiological or pathological. Pathological factors are usually associated with diseases of the kidneys and urinary system. Age characteristics are also important.

In a newborn

85-90% of newborns are characterized by the manifestation of functional proteinuria (increased protein in the urine). This is explained by the increased permeability of the glomerular epithelium and tubules, which is a feature of the blood circulation of a child of this age group.

If the protein in a newborn’s urine does not decrease to a trace state 2-3 weeks after the test, pediatricians look for a pathological reason for its increase - disease of the kidneys, ureters or bladder.

In a baby

During the period when the child's renal function is still reduced, episodes of physiological proteinuria are known in children receiving breastfeeding. In such cases, the urine becomes cloudy, which can be especially noticeable after feeding. Protein in the urine of an infant increases due to excessive feeding and, if the child is healthy, this is not considered a pathology. When feeding “portions” are normalized, this type of proteinuria is usually eliminated.

In children in the first months of life, protein in the urine is increased due to the following reasons:

hypothermia;
dehydration;
stress (from fright or prolonged crying);
subfebrile or febrile body temperature (37 and above);
burn;
exposure to sunlight (insolation);
in case of an allergic reaction to foods in the nurse's diet.

Proteinuria caused by physiological causes usually does not manifest itself with any noticeable signs.

Children with a family history of urolithiasis, glomerulonephritis, or pyelonephritis are prone to a pathological increase in protein in the urine.

In children 1 – 3 years old

Suspicion of proteinuria in a child 1 year of age (and older) should be caused by swelling:

periorbital zone (eyelids);
lower extremities, especially after long walks;
manifested by dents from clothing.

In addition, you can suspect that a child aged 2–3 years has increased protein in the urine by pale skin, low-grade fever, and anxiety when urinating.

If there are no such symptoms, and the child’s urine protein is 0.1 or 0.2 g/l, parents have no need to worry. More significant deviations may indicate infectious and inflammatory processes in the child’s urinary system. Most often, these pathologies appear closer to adolescence; they are more common in girls than in boys.

Do I need treatment?

The question of treating a child with a high level of protein in the urine arises only if the level is significantly higher than normal and there are pathological reasons behind the increase. This:

renal pathologies (pyelonephritis, tuberculosis, glomerulonephritis, malignancy);
hemoblastoses (tumor diseases of the blood);
myeloma (tumor disease of the bone marrow);
epilesia;
diabetes;
hypovolemia (dehydration);
kidney injuries;
infections.

If a child has a pathology accompanied by increased protein in the urine, it, of course, should be treated.

Proteinuria in other groups

Ideally, an adult’s urine should not contain more than 0.3 g/l of protein. All types of proteinuria occur in adults due to physiological and pathological reasons. Proteinuria in adults is classified into three stages:

150-500 mg/l/24 h – mild;
500-2000 mg/l/24h – moderate;
more than 2000 mg per day – pronounced.

Most pathologies that cause high protein in the urine in adult patients are renal.

Exceeding the normal level of protein in the urine in women is most often potentiated by:

idiopathic glomerulonephritis;
pyelonephritis;
renal vein thrombosis;
amyloidosis;
renal polycystic disease;
acute tubular necrosis and other pathologies, including extrarenal ones.

Among the extrarenal causes of proteinuria in women, the leading ones are persistent arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory and malignant diseases of the genitourinary system.

Pregnant women often experience physiological proteinuria (up to 66 mg/l), which is caused by renal hyperfiltration. The upper limit of normal daily excretion in pregnant women shifts to 300 mg.

Preeclampsia can also provoke proteinuria in combination with arterial hypertension and edema, usually observed from the 20th week of gestation. Approximately 0.7% of pregnant women who have suffered a complication such as preeclampsia experience persistent proteinuria in the postpartum period.

An increase in protein in the urine in this group of patients is also caused by:

membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (29% of cases);
IgA nephropathy (29%);
amyloidosis (7%);
focal segmental glomerulonephritis (7%).

Detection of proteinuria in a pregnant woman usually requires consultation with a physician.

An increase in protein in the urine in men is usually associated with various inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system. True proteinuria is promoted by:

bacterial bladder infections;
toxic or metabolic kidney damage;
glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis;
diabetes.

False proteinuria in men can be caused by the release of protein from the prostate into the urine. A significant persistent increase in protein often indicates nephrosis, renal hypertension, kidney tuberculosis, damage to the pelvis or glomeruli.

Conclusion

Protein should not be detected in the urine of a healthy child; only the presence of “traces” of it is allowed.
In the first 2-3 weeks, a newborn baby may have a fairly high level of protein in the urine, which is an age-related feature.
In infants, proteinuria is a consequence of overfeeding.
In a child in adolescence, protein in the urine usually indicates infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system.

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Many parents are interested in the question: does the appearance of protein in the urine of children always indicate illness? Doctors will say that it’s good when it’s not there at all. Although small amounts of proteins are sometimes found in completely healthy babies. It is believed that the acceptable level of protein in a child’s urine is up to 0.033 g/l. However, even exceeding these indicators does not always indicate pathological processes.

What are the causes of proteinuria?

A healthy person does not have protein in urine, since during the processes of urine formation it is absorbed into the blood and lymph. If the filtration function of the kidneys is impaired, proteinuria is detected - an increased content of protein elements in a urine test. Protein tests are prescribed to diagnose diseases associated with kidney damage, as well as to monitor the treatment process.

Why might there be increased protein in the urine? This is influenced by a variety of pathological factors. Proteinuria in children, regardless of age, can appear with a viral infection, including common ARVI, as well as with many other diseases, such as:

kidney diseases and injuries;
multiple myeloma, hemoblastosis;
hemolytic disease in a newborn;
diabetes;
brain injuries;
epilepsy;
cystitis;
bacterial infections such as tonsillitis, etc.

With inflammation, in addition to albuminuria, increased levels of mucus, bacteria, red blood cells, and white blood cells are often observed in the urine.

Based on the localization of the pathological process, there are several types of increased protein in the urine:

Postrenal proteinuria - manifests itself in diseases of the urinary tract and genital organs.
Renal – inflammation is localized in the kidneys.
Prerenal – characteristic of various oncological conditions or intoxications of the body.

Temporary or physiological increase in protein

Sometimes the appearance of proteinuria in children does not indicate the presence of pathology and is possible under normal physiological conditions. Thus, the protein in the urine of a breast-fed baby can increase if the mother is not eating properly, if she violates her diet, if the baby is highly mobile, as well as with overfeeding. In an infant in the first month of life, the genitourinary system is simply not yet sufficiently formed. However, if after a month from birth the indicators do not change, it is necessary to carefully examine the baby for the presence of renal pathology.

Protein in the urine of a 14-year-old teenager may increase during physical activity if the child consumes a lot of protein in food. Teenage proteinuria occurs as a result of hormonal changes in the body.

Increased protein in the urine of a child appears after hypothermia, a stressful situation, allergies, burns, insolation, dehydration, or long-term drug therapy. If urine is not collected properly for testing, protein may also be contaminated.

Orthostatic proteinuria is a renal functional proteinuria that is observed in children 7–18 years old, mainly boys. The reason is the increased excretion of albumin in an upright position. To rule out orthostatic proteinuria, a sample is collected in a horizontal position or a 24-hour test is ordered to detect protein in the child’s urine. Proteinuria often appears after an infectious disease.

These situations do not require special treatment; after neutralization of the primary factors, temporary proteinuria goes away on its own. But you still need to be careful and attentive to the detected protein in the urine. In any case, you should consult your doctor.

Symptoms that should alert parents

The first thing you should pay attention to is the child’s condition, well-being and complaints, and not the test results. If proteinuria is insignificant and no other signs of pathology appear, then there is no need to worry. But if a child’s protein levels are significantly elevated, a number of obvious symptoms arise. The baby may experience swelling of the face and limbs, deterioration in general condition, possible vomiting, and in some cases the body temperature rises. Protein also affects the transparency of urine; it becomes cloudy and may turn red or brown.

Parents should also be wary of the child's poor appetite, drowsiness, and fatigue. The nature of the symptoms depends on the localization of the inflammatory process, which caused the increased protein concentration. For example, with cystitis, frequent urination is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, and hyperthermia is also possible.

Diagnostics

To detect protein in the urine of children, the following urine tests are used:

OAM – general urine analysis;
Daily test for the presence of protein in urine;
Nechiporenko method;
analysis according to Zimnitsky;
express diagnostics using test strips.

In case of OAM, protein levels in the morning portion are assessed. To detect daily protein in urine, urine is collected over 24 hours in one special sterile container. You must take the entire sample, or one portion of it in a small container, to the laboratory, after first measuring the daily diuresis in milliliters.

How to collect urine?

To obtain a reliable result of testing urine for protein, it is important to adhere to the rules for collecting urine. First of all, you need to collect the sample at the time of day required by a particular method. Before urinating, you should wash your child's external genitalia. The container for the test liquid must be sterile.

To collect daily urine from boys and girls up to one year old, special urinals are used, which can be bought at any pharmacy.

What does normal and abnormal protein mean?

up to 0.033 g/l – so-called traces of protein are considered normal;
up to 0.099 g/l – there is tension in the functioning of the kidneys, which can arise as a result of hypothermia or a stressful situation;
from 0.099 to 0.3 g/l – this protein content in the urine can be observed during a cold or acute respiratory viral infection;
from 0.3 to 1 g/l - such an increase in indicators in children refers to moderate proteinuria; in the presence of additional symptoms, it may indicate an inflammatory process in the kidneys;
from 1 to 3 g/l or more is a significant excess of the norm; if the protein is increased to such levels, an additional detailed examination of the child is required to determine the causes of proteinuria.

What should parents do?

Proteinuria is not an independent disease. This is just a symptom that may indicate inflammation. Therefore, in itself, a large number of protein structures in the urine is not a reason for concern, but only a condition that requires detailed diagnosis.

Treatment is prescribed by a doctor after identifying the true cause of proteinuria based on the clinical picture and examination data. Depending on the nature of the disease, the child may be prescribed antibiotics, hormonal drugs, diuretics, or statins.

Traditional medicine can be used as an auxiliary therapy for temporary proteinuria. A common plant that is used to reduce the protein component in urine is cranberry. Parsley tea, decoction of fir, birch buds, senna, corn, and oats are also used. Simply consuming less salt in your food will also significantly reduce protein levels.

Prevention of proteinuria in children is simple - you need to monitor the child’s nutrition, his psycho-emotional state, and prevent hypothermia. Even a healthy baby may experience a temporary increase in protein levels; it is important to monitor the child’s general condition. Proteinuria is a marker of many diseases, but most often it is a sign of pathology of the kidneys or urinary system. It is important to take urine tests at least once a year to monitor protein levels and start treatment on time if necessary.

Protein in the urine of a child may be a sign of serious kidney pathology, a systemic infectious or autoimmune process. Various urine tests are the most informative in diagnosis. Treatment depends on the cause of proteinuria

Protein in a child’s urine is detected during a routine clinical test. Proteinuria can be a sign of a pathological process in the body or be physiological, that is, not harmful to health. A pediatrician should help parents understand what this change in the urine test indicates, what causes it and the symptoms that accompany it.

Where does protein in urine come from?

Blood constantly flows through the renal corpuscle - the smallest ball of capillaries - from which plasma with dissolved solids is filtered by the difference in hydrostatic and osmotic pressure. It also contains some protein.

Blood proteins have different sizes and structures, so not all pass through the glomerular basement membrane. But some of these substances still overcome the barrier and enter the primary urine. But the absorption of filtered proteins occurs in the capsule and tubules.

In addition, protein is formed in the tubular lumen and other parts, which is necessary for building the structures of the urinary system. It consists of hyaline cylinders, which can also be detected during analysis.

Thus, increased protein in a child’s urine should not normally be detected, but a slight content is acceptable.

The appearance of protein signals kidney or urinary tract diseases. Disruption of filtration processes occurs if the concentration of protein in the blood is very high, which can be caused by various pathological and physiological reasons.

Normal values

Taking into account the fact that some of the proteins may end up in the final urine, the norm for protein in the urine of a child by age has been developed. The ratio of the amount of protein (mg) per body surface area (m2) is calculated.

The table below shows what the norm of protein in urine in children is typical for a certain age.

On all the usual analysis forms you can see such a protein indicator designation as 0.033 g/l or “traces”. These are acceptable values that can be detected in absolutely healthy children.

Reasons for temporary increase

Proteinuria in children is not always pathological. In many cases, the reasons that protein is elevated are physiological. In pediatrics, the following conditions are distinguished, accompanied by changes in urine parameters without organic kidney damage:

transient proteinuria of newborns;
excess protein intake from food;
hypothermia;
neuropsychic disorder (psychosis, hysteria);
stress (prolonged crying);
febrile temperature;
physical overexertion (sports);
allergic diathesis;
dehydration caused by high fluid loss (hot climate, overheating);
long-term medication use;
excessive insolation (UV irradiation).

Often, in the first two weeks of life, protein may be detected in the baby. This is due to the immaturity of the vascular membrane in the glomeruli and tubules. Due to their increased permeability, protein molecules pass freely into the urine.

There is a misconception that protein in the urine of an infant may be increased due to overfeeding with breast milk. According to WHO, human milk proteins are contained in small quantities and even with overfeeding, their concentration in the blood cannot reach high values.

It is worth noting that when artificial or mixed feeding, adapted milk formulas based on casein from cow's or goat's milk are used. Considering the unnaturalness of this substrate and its incomplete digestibility, protein may be increased in artificial infants.

If the feeding regime is not followed and overfeeding with formulas, excess proteins accumulate in the blood, which can also be reflected in the results of a urine test.

Protein in the urine of a teenager is determined by so-called orthostatic lordosis. In this state, when the body position changes from horizontal to vertical, the protein penetrates in large quantities into the renal filtrate.

Increased protein in diseases

In various diseases, the following pathophysiological processes can occur that cause proteinuria:

violation of the filtration mechanism;
tissue damage with the release of protein;
pathological vascular permeability of the kidneys;
violation of tubular reabsorption;
changes in hormonal regulation.

Increased protein in the urine of a child with the following diseases:

spicy and
congenital kidney malformations;
kidney tissue injuries;
vulvovaginitis in a girl;
burn disease with a large area of damage;
tubulopathies;
diabetes mellitus (diabetic nephropathy);
urethritis, balanoposthitis in a boy;
multiple myeloma (specifically determined);
hereditary nephritis;
arterial hypertension (renal);
dehydration due to toxicosis;
hemoblastosis;
infectious diseases;
epilepsy.

The presence of protein in the urine may be the first symptom of severe pathologies. It is important to analyze the clinical manifestations associated with this condition and other laboratory results. This can save the health and life of the baby.

Symptoms of proteinuria

Clinical manifestations of proteinuria are nonspecific and are caused by the primary disease. Most often, high protein levels are accompanied by the following symptoms:

drowsiness;
poor appetite;
high body temperature;
pain of varying intensity in the lumbar region or abdomen;
nausea, vomiting (babies have frequent and profuse regurgitation);
fast fatiguability;
swelling of the face;
pain when urinating;
changes in urine (red or brown, cloudy, putrid odor).

The presence of at least one symptom accompanying an increase in protein in the urine indicates the need for urgent additional examination.

What tests should I take?

If the protein is higher than normal, then the following laboratory tests are prescribed:

control urine test;
blood chemistry;
daily protein content test;
urine analysis according to Zimnitsky;
Nechiporenko's test.

A control urine test shows the dynamics of the concentrations of compounds in urine. If the causes of proteinuria are physiological, then repeated examination reveals trace levels of protein or its complete absence. , exceeding the norm, indicate the development of an active inflammatory process.

In biochemical analysis, it is important to examine protein metabolism. To do this, determine indicators such as total protein and its fractions, urea, residual nitrogen and creatinine. A change in these parameters means impaired kidney function.

To calculate daily proteinuria, urine is collected for 24 hours. Next, they take part of the material and calculate the amount of protein in it. After which they make a conclusion about its release within a day. Normal values are 30-50 mg, but an increase to 150 mg is acceptable.

For the Nechiporenko test, 10 ml of urine is used from the average portion collected in the morning. , protein and leukocytes in the urine. Changes in these indicators indicate damage to the urinary system.

When conducting the Zimnitsky test, urine is collected in separate containers every 3 hours throughout the day. The daily amount of urine is analyzed, the ratio of night and daytime diuresis, and the density of urine are determined. This allows us to draw conclusions about the functional state of the kidneys.

An orthostatic test is performed on a teenager. The child remains in a kneeling position for half an hour and then stands up. In an upright position and before the test begins, urine samples are taken and proteinuria is determined.

Treatment

Before starting treatment, a comprehensive examination is required to identify the causes of proteinuria. The doctor (nephrologist or pediatrician) gives the child’s parents general recommendations that should reduce the load on the kidneys:

refusal to eat salt;
sufficient fluid intake;
control over the rhythm of urination;
optimal intake of proteins from food;
organization of rational nutrition for the baby.

Therapeutic treatment of proteinuria is always complex. They influence the underlying pathological process and relieve symptoms. The following groups of drugs can be used for this:

diuretics;
antibacterial;
anti-inflammatory;
glucocorticosteroids;
hypoglycemic;
antihypertensive;
immunosuppressants – drugs that suppress immune damage to kidney tissue.

In addition to official drugs, it is possible to use some traditional medicine. The following homemade recipes are easy to prepare and safe for children.

Recipe 1

Rose hips 1 tbsp. (you can use filter bags) pour boiling water, bring to a boil over low heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes. Take the decoction three times a day.

Recipe 2

Dried and crushed bearberry leaves 1 tbsp. add water, cover with a lid. After 20 minutes, you can take half a glass of infusion.

Recipe 3

Wash and crush fresh lingonberries, add 250 ml of hot water. Add 1 teaspoon to the warm, strained drink. liquid honey. Take 1 glass of the product in the morning.

Any medicine, including those prepared according to a traditional medicine prescription, is prescribed exclusively by a specialist, taking into account the age and characteristics of the child. Under no circumstances should you select funds for your child on your own!