Acetone in the urine of a child: symptoms, causes, treatment

Normally, the urine of a healthy person contains a small amount of acetone. If this amount significantly exceeds the permissible limits, we can talk about acetoneuria. This is a condition that occurs against the background of various metabolic changes in the body. Proteins and fats that enter the body are oxidized and synthesize glucose. If oxidation does not occur properly, ketone bodies appear in the blood, a kind of which is acetone. Most often, acetone in the urine is observed in children, because their metabolism is imperfect and various disruptions can occur in metabolic processes. Today we will talk about why acetone appears in the urine of a child, how to suspect high levels of acetone, and how to deal with this pathology.

How to understand that a child has acetonuria

To identify a high level of acetone in the urine can only be analyzed. But what makes many moms take their urine to the lab in time or do the analysis on their own? What symptoms may indicate an increased level of acetone in the urine? As a rule, acetone increases due to dehydration, which most often occurs due to food poisoning, anemia, diabetes, etc.

1. Acetone increases with repeated vomiting and nausea. Often the child is sick so much that any piece eaten, and even a sip of water leads to another attack of vomiting.
2. The child loses his appetite, he does not want to try even his favorite delicacies.
3. If the increase in acetone is associated with poisoning, the child may have a stomachache, he feels spasms.
4. Dehydration and high levels of acetone can often be caused by repeated diarrhea.
5. The child has an intoxication of the body - he experiences weakness and apathy.
6. The skin becomes dry, palms and elbows on the back side may begin to peel off.
7. Ask your child to show you the language. If you find a whitish plaque on the surface of the mucous membrane, most likely, the acetone in the body is elevated.
8. Often, dehydration is accompanied by high body temperature, which is also a symptom of acetoneuria.
9. Another sign is a small daily urine output. Children older than one year should have the urge to urinate at least once every 3-4 hours; babies under one year old should write more often.
10. In severe cases, when the amount of ketone bodies in the body exceeds the permissible limits, the child may develop a characteristic smell of acetone from the mouth, from urine and vomit.
11. A high level of acetone affects the nervous system, the child becomes sluggish or, on the contrary, agitated, loses balance, his mind becomes confused.
12. One of the worst symptoms of high levels of acetone in the urine is a strong sleepiness of the child, as a result of which he falls into a coma.

An increase in the level of acetone in the urine can be primary - as a rule, in children with neuropsychiatric diathesis - in this disease the metabolism is disturbed, namely, the exchange of uric acid. Secondary acetonuria occurs against the background of other diseases - infections, diabetes, etc. Let's try to understand the physiological and pathological reasons for the increase in the level of acetone in the urine.

Physiological causes of increased levels of acetone in the body

The pancreas of a child is formed up to 12 years. Therefore, any changes in the body, diet and the environment can lead to an increase in acetone.

1. One of the main reasons is a bad diet that does not correspond to a child’s body. Too fat, smoked, spicy, salty foods, as well as a high content of chemical flavors, stabilizers, dyes can lead to an increase in the level of acetone in the body. Acetone may also increase due to prolonged fasting, adherence to strict diets, when there is a large amount of protein and fat in the patient's diet, but the minimum amount of carbohydrates.
2. High mobility of a child can lead to acetoneuria. In this case, you need to minimize the load and do quiet games and entertainment.
3. Lack of sleep and overwork, systemic, which increases with each time, can also cause a high level of acetone. Often children suffer from this, who are recorded in many sections and circles.
4. Strong emotional stress can also cause an increase in the level of acetone in the urine of a child.Fear, stress, loss of a loved one and similar strongest experiences can cause such a condition.
5. Severe dehydration and an increase in the level of acetone in the urine may be the result of prolonged exposure to the sun, in hot rooms, etc.
6. Hypothermia can also cause an increase in the level of acetone in the urine, because the body begins to spend not only glucose, but also fat and protein reserves to obtain vital energy.

The physiological reasons are simple enough to understand and easy to overcome. But what if increased levels of acetoneuria are caused by more serious problems?

Pathological causes of increased levels of acetone in the body

Increased acetone levels may be a secondary symptom in comparison with other diseases and conditions of the patient.

1. A high level of acetone in the urine of a child is the first sign of diabetes. In this disease, glucose in the body is sufficient or even abundant, but only there is no insulin, which allows it to be properly absorbed. A high level of acetone in the urine is observed in diabetes mellitus of the first type.
2. Acetone may increase due to enzymatic deficiency, in which carbohydrates are poorly absorbed. This lack of enzymes can be a congenital pathology or a consequence of simple food poisoning, as well as an infectious disease.
3. The level of acetone in the body may increase during the recovery period after surgical treatment.
4. High temperature, occurring against the background of respiratory, infectious and other inflammatory processes, can also cause an increase in acetone. In this case, the state of dehydration is achieved due to heavy perspiration - this is how the body tries to normalize the temperature balance.
5. Often, acetone in the urine increases due to cancer and severe traumatic brain injury.

If an elevated level of acetone persists in urine tests for a long time, and you cannot find an explanation for this, you need to see your doctor as soon as possible to refute or confirm the above conditions and diagnoses.

By the way, to determine the level of acetone in the body does not necessarily carry the urine of the child every time in the laboratory.The pharmacy has special tests for the amount of acetone in the urine. These are small strips impregnated with special reagents that change their color when in contact with acetone in a liquid. On the package there is a specially graded table that allows you to decipher the result. As a rule, tests work in a color segment. The brighter the resulting color, the more acetone in the urine and the worse the child's condition.

What to do if the level of acetone in the baby's urine is increased

It must be understood that an elevated level of acetone is an acetonomic crisis, to which it is necessary to react instantly. The smaller the child, the more dangerous the situation. Dehydration in an infant can occur in just a few hours of vomiting and diarrhea. It is very dangerous and can be fatal. With symptoms of dehydration and an increase in the level of acetone in the urine, you must act immediately.

1. The child needs to be unsoldered. If acetone increased due to fasting and overwork, you need to increase the level of glucose in the body as soon as possible. To do this, offer the child a warm sweet tea - with sugar or honey.
2. If the baby is tormented by vomiting and diarrhea, it is very dangerous to stay at home, you must go to the infectious diseases hospital to save the child from dehydration. Especially if the child is less than a year old. Before the arrival of the doctors, it is necessary to give the baby to drink in small portions in order not to provoke another call for vomiting. Let's drink a child literally every 3-5 minutes by a small sip. Doctors advise otpaivat child when dehydrating with a teaspoon.
3. It is very effective to drink Regidron to restore the water-salt balance in the body. One packet of the drug must be dissolved in a liter of water and given to the child to drink in small sips. If Rehydron was not at hand, the composition can be prepared independently by adding sugar, salt and baking soda to the water.
4. To remove ketones from the body, you can drink any sorbents - Smektu, Enterosgel, Polysorb, Filtrum, Activated carbon. This will help to quickly eliminate the symptoms of intoxication.
5. In such conditions it is very important to follow a diet in order not to create an additional load on the body. If the child does not ask for food, do not force him, he does not need food at the moment. The main thing is to make sure that he drank a lot.If the baby asks for food, you can give him some boiled rice, galetny cookies, lean meat - rabbit or chicken, kefir, baked apple, etc. It is necessary to feed the baby in small portions, but often so as not to cause an attack of another vomiting.
6. In difficult cases, when the child’s condition is extremely serious, he is given intravenous infusion of glucose and vitamins.
7. If the symptoms persist, you can do a cleansing enema. It will remove intoxication and slightly reduce the temperature.
8. It is very important to find out the cause of the acetonomic crisis in order to act correctly. For example, a high level of acetone in diabetes mellitus should be treated with adequate insulin therapy. In infectious and viral diseases, in addition to the main treatment, it is necessary to provide the baby with abundant drinking. This is approximately 120 ml per kilogram of weight. If a child weighs 10 kg, he should drink at least 1.2 liters of liquid per day. The same goes for heat. A large amount of liquid enhances the effect of antipyretic drugs, without liquid the medicine cannot act, because the child needs to sweat something.

The main prevention of high acetone in the urine of a child is a proper and healthy lifestyle. Loads must be sufficient and moderate.Do not overload the child - after school, let him rest. Additional cups and sections should be dosed - no more than one class per day, there should be a break on the weekends. Children of primary school age should sleep 1-1.5 hours during the daytime. Before a night's sleep, you do not need to watch TV or play computer games - the child’s nervous system should calm down.

Follow the rules of healthy eating. Children under 4-5 years old should not eat everything that adults eat, especially fatty foods, salty crackers and chips, soda. In the hot season, limit the presence of children under the scorching sun, and if this is not possible, provide the child with a hat and enough liquid.

Water treatments are very effective. Write down your child for swimming, show him what a contrast shower is, pour cool water over it during the warm season. This helps to improve the metabolic processes in the body, besides, it is a great way to harden.

It is very important to protect the baby from causes that can cause dehydration and an increase in the level of acetone in the urine. Be sure to take all vaccinations to avoid infectious diseases.Temper the child, give him vitamins so that he is less sick with respiratory viruses. Do not allow your young daughters to sit on strict diets to lose weight. Teach the girl how to lose weight correctly, following the principles of healthy eating. Follow these simple rules to avoid diseases that can cause high levels of acetone in the body.

Video: where does acetone come from in a child’s body