Born with one kidney... Why? What next?

[Londonmum51]

Hi all,

I haven't posted on here before but was hoping for any advice, help or information that anyone could share.

In my husband's family there are a couple of people with kidney problems. All the drs say that they are not hereditary or genetic but as a number of them have exactly the same issue I nagged and nagged the dr to get an ultrasound for my 10 month old son. So we went last week and I felt a bit silly and like I was wasting their time but during the scan they could not find his right kidney. They told us that it is most likely it didn't develop properly although there were no issues at my 20 week scan. I am trying to research but all the info I can find is when they pick this up at the 20 week scan.

I am waiting for a referral to a specialist at the moment but am totally confused and worried. How can his kidney disappear? Or did they miss something at the 20 week scan? What does this mean for his future?

Anyone with any advice or experience of this? I would appreciate some help.

My aunt only has a quarter of one kidney working (one damaged and one taken out). She managed fine (no dialysis) and had to watch her diet though (low potassium).

I just found out one of the small boys in school has only one kidney. I wouldn't know except I do lunch duty so I have to encourage him to keep fluid intake high. I suspect it's not just a case of one kidney, but something else not great about that kidney function why he needs to keep an eye on fluid intake.

My mother was alcoholic with her one kidney & it still had nothing to do with her death.

Thanks all. Have spoken to the gp now who is referring us to a consultant but she reiterated that there is nothing to worry about but said they may do more tests to check the kidney he has us functioning properly.

For those similar situations, she told me that evalina children's hospital at st thomas's hospital is a regional specialist unit for renal
Paediatrics. Luckily it is our nearest hospital so that is where we are being referred.

I will post an update if it is helpful to other people once I get more information from the specialist but I imagine that will be in a few weeks time.

Zulu, fingers crossed for yours too... Strangely I had a growth scan at 32 weeks too but it wasn't picked up then either for me. I just assumed they weren't looking for it and were just focussed on measurements.

Thanks LondonMum. We've got a followup scan on Friday so we'll see what happens. We're at UCH in London, but useful to know about St Thomas's.