Treatment depends on how severe the PIGN is and whether it causes any complications.
Many children with PIGN do not need special treatment but will need lots of rest to recover from their infection.
If your child has severe PIGN or develops any complications, they may need more intensive treatment and may need to stay in a hospital for a few days. Some children are referred to a paediatric renal unit, a special unit for children with kidney problems, which may be in a different hospital to your local one.
Read more about your child’s healthcare team and what happens in hospital
Your child may need to make temporary changes to what they eat and drink such as having less salt and fluid such as water, squash and soft drinks. Your child’s healthcare team or a paediatric dietitian will talk to you about any changes that may be needed.
Your child can go home when the doctor thinks that their health is stable. Your child will need to go back to the hospital clinic for treatment or follow-up.
Medication
If your child is in pain, you can give them paracetamol. Do not give your child ibuprofen as it can cause further damage to their kidneys.
Your child may be prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection that caused the PIGN. Always follow your doctor’s advice about when and how long to take antibiotics.
If your child has hypertension, they may need be prescribed medication to lower their blood pressure.
Some children with PIGN need to take diuretics. These medicines help reduce oedema (swelling in the body) by removing extra water and salt from the body and by increasing the amount of urine that is passed. Your doctor will examine your child for oedema and measure their weight while they are taking diuretics, to check how well the medicine is working.
Impaired kidney function
Some children with PIGN develop impaired kidney function which means that their kidneys do not work as well as they should. In most cases, kidney function returns to normal and there are no long-term problems. However, in rare cases, children whose kidney function is severely affected, will need more intensive treatment which can include dialysis. Dialysis uses special equipment to temporarily do the job of the kidneys – remove waste products and extra water from the body.
It is important to follow any treatment plan outlined by your doctor.
Questions to ask the doctor or nurse
- What treatment does my child need?
- How will the treatment help my child?
- How can I help my child prepare for procedures and treatments?
- If the first treatment does not work in my child, what happens next?
- How will I know if we need to go back to the hospital or see the doctor?
- Will the PIGN come back? How will I know?
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