If your child is affected by a kidney disorder, her body may have difficulty achieving a fluid balance, which may lead to water retention. For this reason, children with kidney diseases may be placed on a low-sodium or restricted-fluid diet. According to Children's Hospital Boston, the extent of your child's sodium restrictions will depend upon her condition, but pediatric low-sodium diets frequently range from 2,000 mg to 4,000 mg of sodium per day. Your child's doctor will discuss the specifics of the diet with you.
Function
Low-sodium diets for kids are often intended to minimize symptoms of conditions like nephrotic syndrome and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. According to the NDI Foundation, restricting sodium intake lessens the amount of stress placed on the kidneys. In the case of some of these conditions, such as nephrotic syndrome, fluid consumption may also be restricted. For nephrogenic diabetes inspidus, diuretic treatment may also be part of the regimen. Your child's doctor will address the specific dietary needs of the condition.
Features
A low-sodium diet for kids will involve the restriction of added salt at the table or in cooking. In addition, you will need to avoid canned products such as vegetables, meats or pastas, cured meats like salami, pepperoni, bologna, hot dogs and sausage, snacks such as chips, salted nuts, pretzels and popcorn, and canned or dried soups -- all of which generally contain high amounts of salt.
Identification
According to the NDI Foundation, some high-sodium ingredients might not be immediately recognizable upon reading a food label. When reading a food label, you should be aware of ingredients such as baking soda, garlic salt, onion salt, brine, sodium diphosphate, monosodium glutamate, sodium alginate, sodium benzoate and more. The NDI Foundation adds that if sodium or salt is in the ingredient list of a food, you should make sure it is near the bottom of the list, since ingredients are listed in order of their weight.
Suggestions
It may be difficult for your child to adapt to a diet that is low in sodium. For this reason, KidComm.org suggests preparing low-sodium meals for your entire family. This will make your child feel more normal and less excluded, and it will make meal preparation simpler for you. Using low-sodium condiments and spices such as chili powder, oregano, tabasco, tarragon and more can make meals more flavorful, notes Children's Hospital Boston.
Considerations
KidComm.org recommends staying consistent with the low-sodium diet and incorporating it into your family's everyday life. Avoid switching back and forth based on changes in your child's condition, as this can be confusing. Talk to your child's doctor about any updates or modifications to the diet. Once your child has adapted to a low-sodium diet, it will simply become a normal part of her life.
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