My three-year-old daughter just got out of the hospital with a kidney infection. The doctors said that the ultrasound showed that her bladder was refluxing urine into the kidneys, thus the infection. Her kidneys are enlarged also. I am wondering if this is common in CdLS?

Kidney abnormalities can be seen with CdLS in 20-40% of the time. Most likely the enlarged kidneys are due to the reflux and not an inherent kidney abnormality. I would assume that your daughter had a vesiculourethrogram (VCUG) as well. Usually with the kidney reflux, there is risk for urinary tract infections. A renal scan should be done to assess the function of the kidneys. If the degree of reflux is significant, you should see a pediatric urologist to discuss the severity and plan. Sometimes the children need to be on preventative antibiotics so as not to get urinary tract infections. It can, by the way, run in families. If you have other children they should be evaluated with renal ultrasound and VCUG most likely. VCUG is a dye study of what is going on inside: they inject dye into the urethra and watch it using fluoroscopy. They can watch the dye going into the bladder and then up from the bladder towards the kidney. A renal scan is also a dye study, but it demonstrates actual function of the kidneys. Overall, most children do well and may outgrow it.

TK 7-13-10

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My three-year-old daughter just got out of the hospital with a kidney infection. The doctors said that the ultrasound showed that her bladder was refluxing urine into the kidneys, thus the infection. Her kidneys are enlarged also. I am wondering if this is common in CdLS?

Kidney abnormalities can be seen with CdLS in 20-40% of the time. Most likely the enlarged kidneys are due to the reflux and not an inherent kidney abnormality. I would assume that your daughter had a vesiculourethrogram (VCUG) as well. Usually with the kidney reflux, there is risk for urinary tract infections. A renal scan should be done to assess the function of the kidneys. If the degree of reflux is significant, you should see a pediatric urologist to discuss the severity and plan. Sometimes the children need to be on preventative antibiotics so as not to get urinary tract infections. It can, by the way, run in families. If you have other children they should be evaluated with renal ultrasound and VCUG most likely. VCUG is a dye study of what is going on inside: they inject dye into the urethra and watch it using fluoroscopy. They can watch the dye going into the bladder and then up from the bladder towards the kidney. A renal scan is also a dye study, but it demonstrates actual function of the kidneys. Overall, most children do well and may outgrow it.

TK 7-13-10