Patient's question:
The child has been crying constantly, as if feeling unwell. When taken to the hospital for a thorough examination, the doctor said it was a symptom of polycystic kidney disease. What kind of disease is this? I've never heard of it before. Hello, what is polycystic kidney disease in children?Doctor's answer:
Polycystic kidney disease (PK) in children is characterized by numerous cysts containing urine in the renal cortex and medulla, which are arranged in clusters. This condition has two hereditary forms. One is autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), which typically manifests symptoms only in adulthood but can also occur in newborns. In the past, this type was referred to as adult PK. The other type is the recessive genetic form, which occurs more frequently and was previously known as infantile PK, showing symptoms at birth and even leading to near-fatal conditions in the neonatal period.