A new study shows that the incidence of kidney stones more than doubled among South Carolina children over the course of a decade. The number of cases per 100,000 children rose from 7.9 to 18.5.
There are several possible causes, including obesity and over-use of antibiotics. Antibiotics may kill normal gut bacteria that consume kidney stone forming minerals.
Reuters reports that:
“... treating kidney stones in children is costly and can be more dangerous than it is in adults. Unlike many adult stone formers, children, because of their smaller body size, often don't ‘pass’ the stones naturally. Troublesome stones may require surgery or other procedure to remove.”