Doctors have an unglamorous job of explaining bodily functions and what you can’t do. Today I talk about the Excretory system for kids (and their parents). This is part of my human body for kids series.
The circulatory and excretory systems have a close-knit relationship. When circulatory volume decreases urine output is lowered. In hot seasons if you don’t drink enough water, your body will produce a smaller volume of high-colored urine.
What is excretion?
Excretion is the physiological process by which metabolic wastes are removed from the body. Any build-up of this means your body becomes a wasteland.
Excretion is different from pooping.The chemicals in your body filtered by your kidney as urine happens through the Excretory system.
What are the Excretory substances?
Excretory substances are urea ,uric acid, extra water ,carbon dioxide, salts.
What is the Excretory system made up of?
Its made up of Kidneys ( a pair)
Ureter ( a pair)
Bladder
What are the major Disorders of Excretory system?
- Kidney stones and urteric stones
- Uraemic coma
- Cysts of the kidney
- Tumors of the kidney or Bladder
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Acute pyelonephritis
- Glomerulonephritis
- UTI \Urinary tract infection
Now any problem anywhere your urine output is lowered ,like in Chronic kidney disease. When you stop Excretion of these toxins your body is poisoned inside out it’s called Uraemia. A uraemic coma is a serious condition.
If you want this silent Powerhouse to work you must take good care. When it’s working well the only thing you need to do is drink enough water and go to the loo on time. Your pee hygiene is crucial because the urinary infection is capable of reaching into your kidneys too. That’s why Indian-style toilets are hygienically safer especially if you are using a public toilet. It’s a relatively no-touch toilet.
Products s like pee safe can help and do this if you are traveling and need to use a Western WC.
In trains while traveling using the Induan loo or use pee safe if you can’t resist the Western WC.
What are the specialized cells of kidney ?
Kidney has specialized cells called nephrons which have filtering set up called Glomerulus. Any problem involving this causes a condition called Glomerulonephritis.
I have written about kidney stones and why you should drink more water. But I have not written about the Ureter and the urinary Bladder.
Ureter
The Ureter is a specialized organ with specialized uroepithelium.If there’s a stone in the Ureter it’s severely painful. The pain classically comes in spasms.
Fast facts:
The repeated UTI (Urinary tract infection)causes the structure of the Ureter which in turn makes it even more prone to UTI.
Surgery of Ureter need expertise and are done by Urosurgeons.Kidney anf ureteric stones have stormy histories if not treated on time.
The bladder is another much-ignored organ. When pregnant, women feel their Bladder getting full faster. The weight of the uterus with the fetus, makes pregnant women pee more frequently.
Urinary frequency and burning sensation are also signs of UTI.
In women if normal delivery is not done at an institution during child birth,with proper care risk of vesico vaginal fistula, prolapse and other serious condition occur.These can result in incontinence and life long poor quality if life.
Is pooping also Excretion?
No it’s not.It’s Egestion.
Fast facts:
The urinary system has in addition the urethra.
The Genitals (different according to gender) is a part of the Genitourinary system.
Other systems which are considered as having Excretory functions are skin,lung,liver intestine.
Different systems have specific specialized function.
Nocturnal enuresis -night wetting has a physiological aspect but will need treatment if not resolved.Continence or Bladder control is achieved –
- 50 % 3 years
- 80% by 5 years
- 90% by 8 years
VUR-Vesico ureteric reflux congenital condition.
Vesico-vaginal fistula or VVF occurs in women who have complicated (obstructed labour )home child births :Most common reason in developing countries.(Source).It causes continuous leaking of urine from the Bladder to the vagina.Medical and social problem causing very poor Quality if life in the women affected.
My Human bodies for kids (and parents too) series, was started on a whim. But during Blogchatter A2Z this topic makes sense.
