U J - Spring 2012.pdf 536 | KIDNEY STONE IN CHILDREN There is a wide mistaken belief that only adults devel- op urinary stones. On the contrary, kidney stones can also occur in children. Kidney stones develop when a collection of minerals or other materials form a small “stone.” The stone can cause severe pain, obstruction if it is not diagnosed and treated promptly. The inci- dent of a kidney stone in a child is a relatively rare event. In countries where plants are the main source of protein in the diet, for example the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe, the prev- alence of the kidney stone is higher in children and rises. In China recently, some children who used milk contaminated with melamine (a toxic material illegal- ly added to watered-down milk to increase the protein kidney stone in United States is also rising. The in- crease in the United States is attributed to some fac- tors, including a food additive that is both legal and ubiquitous: salt. The initial sign in an infant may be a crying and devastated baby, and the presentation may be mistaken for colic. Limiting salt in the diet and drinking plenty of water are the best ways to prevent the most common types of the kidney stones or slow their growth. See page 465 for full-text article. WHAT IS VARICOCELE? - tion of the scrotal vein, the loose bag of the skin that holds the testicles. They are rather common, affecting 15% of men overall and - cocele occurs most often in the left testis. Varicocele usually becomes obvious dur- ing adolescence and is rarely reported to arise in older men. The sudden appearance of a varicocele in an older man may be caused by a kidney tumor, which can block varicocele is generally made on physical - ity of the varicocele is graded I through III. Having a varicocele is thought to increase the chance of being infertile, but most men with a varicocele are not infertile. Most men who have a varicocele have no symp- toms. Others may have the following signs and symptoms: Pain in the testis, feeling of heaviness in one or both testes, infertility, - larged vein. Treatment is by surgery. See page 505 for full-text article. Urology for People What’s Up in Urology Journal, Spring 2012? Urology for People Urology for People is a section in the Urology Journal for providing people with a summary of what is Important Note. The findings in medical papers are usually not directly applicable in clinical practice and patients should consult their physicians before any utilization of the results of medical studies.