Question:
From Canada:
My 10-year-old daughter, who has had Type 1 diabetes for 2.5 years, is showing traces of protein in her urine. Is there any thing that we can do to reduce this? For example, decrease protein intake? Could this be a temporary occurrence?
Answer:
Without any further details regarding the amount and length of
proteinuria
in your daughter's case, the presence of a stable raised amount of protein
(microalbumin
or macroalbuminuria) in the urine of a person with diabetes generally means
incipient diabetic nephropathy, if other causes (such as urinary tract
infection or some other forms of nephritis [kidney disease]) have been
excluded.
However, it is rather unusual to develop diabetic nephropathy after having
been diabetic only for 2.5 years, especially if she's still prepubertal.
For this reason, I think you need to discuss this problem again with your
pediatric diabetologist for a proper evaluation of other causes of proteinuria
before beginning any dietetic manipulation of your daughter's diet that can
affect her growth.
MS
Original posting 4 May 1998
Posted to Complications
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