Children as young as 13 being referred to UK hospital suffering from ‘ketamine bladder’
County’s first such clinic, at Alder Hey in Liverpool, treating children suffering from chronic bladder problems with severe cases needing dialysis
TL;DR
- Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool has opened the UK's first ketamine clinic for young people due to a surge in urology problems linked to ketamine addiction.
- Analysis of the clinic's first patients reveals some are as young as 13, with most being girls and living in deprived areas.
- Ketamine-induced uropathy is a painful condition caused by the drug damaging the bladder, urinary tubes, and kidneys, leading to symptoms like frequent urination, incontinence, and blood in urine.
- Some young patients use incontinence pads or urinate in buckets due to severe bladder problems, and the damage can be irreversible, potentially requiring surgery or dialysis in severe cases.
- Of the first 60 patients, the average age was 14, with two-thirds being girls and a similar proportion from deprived areas; 16 had autism or ADHD, and almost three-quarters had experienced childhood emotional trauma.
- The clinic adopts a non-judgmental approach to support young people in stopping ketamine use and preventing further damage.