Nephrotic syndrome occurs when the tiny filters in your child’s kidney (glomeruli) are damaged. This causes them to retain excess water and leak protein into your child’s urine. Over time this can cause kidney damage.

Other substances can also be lost through the damaged filters, including antibodies that help prevent infections. Without these antibodies, children with nephrotic syndrome are more vulnerable to illnesses and infections.

Hormones and vitamins can also be lost, which can lead to delayed growth in young children.

The exact cause of nephrotic syndrome is not always known. It can occur after an illness or infection or as part of another condition.

SRNS appears to be caused by a genetic mutation in around one in three children with the condition, covering over 50 different genes. The cause for the other cases of SRNS is currently unknown.

SSNS may also be caused by a genetic mutation in some cases but the precise details of this are not yet fully understood.

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