General Information on Kidney Stone Caused by the Tainted Milk Products Questions and Answers
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There are reported cases of Mainland children having kidney stones and renal problems after the consumption of melamine tainted milk products (MTMP). What is the situation in Hong Kong? Over the past 23 days (from 23 Sep to 15 Oct 2008), 39,453 and 11,011 children have undergone assessment at Designated Clinics (DCs) and Special Assessment Centres (SACs) set up by Hospital Authority (HA). Up till now, only 3 children were found to have kidney stones from the diagnosis of SACs; while 5 other children confirmed with kidney stones were referred from other sources (2 from China). Serious kidney stone conditions caused by the consumption of MTMP have not occurred in Hong Kong. What are the harmful effects of consuming melamine tainted milk product? Continuous consumption of large quantity of MTMP can cause kidney stones. Kidney stones will lead to urinary tract infection. If the stone is large, it can cause obstruction to the urinary system. If both kidneys are obstructed, it can lead to acute renal failure. What are the symptoms of children who have kidney stones? - Irritable - Poor appetite, vomiting - Low back pain, stomachache - Difficulty and pain in urination - Frequent urination - Decreased urine output - Turbid urine - Urinary sediments / passing stones - Blood urine - Eye puffiness, facial edema, ankle edema Who shall have assessment in the Hospital Authority’s Designated Clinic? Children aged 12 or below with the following situations are eligible for assessment in DC: - Have consumed MTMP originated in China, or food products which fail the melamine test conducted by the Centre for Food Safety (CSF), e.g. Yili milk; and/or; - Show any of the above kidney stone symptoms Apart DC, parents can also bring their children to the family doctor for assessment. What kind of assessment will Designated Clinics provide? Each hospital cluster of the HA has set up DCs, which will be in operation for at least six months. Preliminary assessment will be carried out for suspected children, including tracing the consumption of MTMP, checking for renal symptoms and urine test.
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Under what circumstances will the children be referred to the Special Assessment Centre for further examination? Children with the following situations may be referred to the SAC for further examination: - Continuous consumption (one month) of MTMP originated in China, or food products which fail the melamine test conducted by the Centre for Food Safety (CSF), or - Show any of the above kidney stone symptoms What kind of assessment will the Special Assessment Centre provide? Assessment will include urine analysis, blood test* for kidney function and ultrasound scan examination of the kidneys. Medical advice will be provided if necessary. * From 10 October 2008, blood test will not be arranged for attendants with normal preliminary examination results. What kind of examination and treatment will the Designated Treatment Centre (DTC) provide? DTC will conduct further investigation to ascertain the existence of stone, assess the consequence of stone and possible underlying cause. The treatment will be given according to the size and position of the stone. In most cases, as the stone is small, conservative treatment such as fluid intake to encourage urine output may be adequate. If the stone is causing obstruction, various type of non-invasive procedure may be used to break up the stone and to relieve the obstruction.
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What is the condition of the children with kidney stone in Hong Kong? The 8 children with kidney stones are in stable condition. The stone has disappeared in one patient, while another had received lithotripsy. The other children are still under observation and investigation, so as to find out whether their condition is caused by the consumption of MTMP. How to prevent kidney stones? - Drink plenty of water for adequate urine output; on a daily basis, adults aged 18 or above should consume 2 litres of water, children of 12 years old should consume 1.5 litres while 6-year-old kid and 3-year-old kid should consume 1 litre and 0.5 litre respectively - Have good toileting habit and avoid withholding urination - Have a balanced diet with less consumption of excessive salt and meat, and have more fruits and vegetables to prevent constipation What is melamine? How can the public know more about unqualified products and obtain related information? The public can visit the website of Centre for Food and Safety (www.cfs.gov.hk) for the above information.
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Last modified date: 16 October 2008 (the above information is subject to change and update)
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