Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (gluh-mare-you-low-neh-FRY-tis) is a kidney problem that sometimes happens after someone has a throat or skin infection caused by streptococcal (strep) bacteria. 

A child with post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (sometimes called PSGN) may have:

• Blood in the pee (this makes the pee look red or brown) 
• Too much protein in the pee (this makes the pee look foamy)
• Swelling around the face, eyes, ankles, legs, and belly, especially in the morning (from too much fluid in the body)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)

Most kids with post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis get better within a few weeks and do not have any long-term kidney problems. 

Follow your health care provider's instructions for:

• What your child should eat and drink.
• Giving your child any medicines, vitamins, or supplements as directed. 
• How much liquid is OK for your child to drink. In post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, your child's kidneys may not be able to tolerate as much liquid. Keep in mind that some foods (like soup, gelatin, and ice pops) have a lot of liquid in them.
• Any medicines to avoid, including aspirin, ibuprofen (brand names include Advil^® and Motrin^®) or naproxen (brand names include Aleve^® and Naprosyn^®).
• Any foods or vitamins to avoid and any changes to your child's diet, such as limiting salt, protein, and potassium. These are all processed by the kidneys.
• When to follow up and when to get any other tests your child needs to make sure they are healing well.
• Whether you need to check your child's blood pressure. If you do, keep a record in a notebook or on your phone of when you take the blood pressure and what the reading is. Know the levels that mean you need to call your health care provider.

Your child:

• Has swelling of the face, belly, hands, or feet that gets worse
• Has nausea or throws up
• Has muscle weakness, spasms, or cramps
• Has headaches 
• Is peeing less than usual
• Has a change in blood pressure (if your health care provider told you to check it)
• Still has symptoms after following the health care provider’s instructions

Your child has any of these symptoms, which could be signs of too much fluid in the body or serious kidney problems:

• Isn't peeing at all
• Has trouble breathing or has chest pain
• Seems confused
• Is hard to wake up
• Has a seizure

What happens in post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis? Normally, the kidneys take out waste from the blood. The waste then leaves the body through urine (pee). When someone has post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, the kidneys are not working properly, and extra fluid (liquid) and waste can build up in the body. The extra fluid and waste cause the symptoms of glomerulonephritis (for example, blood and protein in the pee, swelling, and high blood pressure). 

How is post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis treated? Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis usually gets better on its own. Some kids might need treatment to avoid problems from the buildup of fluid and waste. Treatment may include dietary changes, medicine, and in very rare cases, dialysis (a treatment to filter blood when the kidneys can't).

What problems can happen from post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis? Most kids recover fully. It may take up to a few months for the blood and protein in urine to completely go away. Very rarely, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis can cause long-lasting kidney problems.