It's another apparent peril of modern life: more children are getting kidney stones. The Washington Post takes a dive into the unexpected trend. While the data it shares is somewhat dated (a 2016 study looking at South Carolina teens ages 15 to 19 between 1997 and 2012 found a 23% increase in kidney stone incidence for boys and 28% for girls), the anecdotes are plenty. One pediatric urologist at Texas Children's Hospital says they see "children presenting with kidney stones" daily. Gregory Tasian, a pediatric urologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, describes the change over the last 30 years as "dramatic."
The hard deposits of minerals and salts that can get caught in the urinary tract had historically been thought to be a problem suffered by middle-age white men. There are a number of theories as to what's driving the change: genetics, ultra-processed foods, elevated sodium intakes, and dehydration. "There is so much added salt to the American diet today, and when the kidney is excreting the sodium, it pulls calcium with it and increases the risk of calcium-based stones," says Duke Health pediatric urologist John Wiener. The Post notes that all but 10% of children ages 6 to 18 consume nearly 150% of the recommended amount of sodium daily.
One other burgeoning theory: that there's a climate-change element at play. Mayo Clinic pediatric nephrologist David Sas says his research indicates there is a link between kidney stones and "urban heat islands," that is, heavily populated areas of cities that have little greenery and experience higher temperatures as a result. A 2023 NBC News article on the shift backs up the idea that heat could play a role, noting the doctors the outlet spoke with said cases among kids are highest in the summer, when kids tend to sweat more and urinate less. Per the National Kidney Foundation, 1 out of every 10 Americans will experience a kidney stone in their life. (More kidney stones stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
