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All About Kidneys - Basics for Kids

How many kidneys do I have?

Most people have two kidneys. Kidneys are inside the body. They are about the size of your fist.

Where are your kidneys?

Kidneys are in your lower back.

What do kidneys do?

Kidneys are busy! They are like washing machines for the blood in the body.  The kidneys filter the blood and take out all the waste in the blood.   The kidneys send the waste on to the bladder in the form of urine.

Kidneys are part of team!  Our bodies have important parts that work together just like a team.  Some other members of the body’s team are the heart, lungs, muscles, brain, and stomach.

What makes people’s kidney’s not work well?

Making health choices can help keep our bodies from getting sick. But, sometimes even when people make healthy choices, their bodies still get sick. Sometimes accidents happen that can cause our bodies to be sick or hurt. Sometimes we have sickness that is passed to us by our parents.  No matter what makes someone’s kidneys, hurt it’s not their fault.  Taking care of our bodies today is always the best way to stay as healthy as possible, even if someone is sick. 

What does having kidney disease feel like?

When kidneys are sick we feel different things.  Sometimes our eyes are puffy, and our feet and hands are swollen. Sometimes we don’t feel like eating, or food tastes funny to us.  Sometimes we are very tired.  Sometime we feel a burning feeling when we go to the bathroom.  Sometimes we have blood in our pee.  Sometimes we wake up many times during the night to go to the bathroom.  Sometimes our lower backs hurt near where our kidneys are. 



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