Parents Share Details of Rare Disease That Made 5-Year-Old Son Look Pregnant

When 5-year-old Mckenzie Watson’s belly and face began to look fuller, his parents thought he’d gained a little weight over the Christmas holiday.

But when the boy’s belly continued to swell, he was rushed to the hospital. After 11 days, doctors discovered that his lungs were leaking, filling his abdomen with fluid, and diagnosed him with a kidney disorder called nephrotic syndrome.

“He was massive, he looked as though he was nine months’ pregnant and about to pop,” Mckenzie’s mother, Antonia Watson, told the Daily Mail of the first time her son’s stomach swelled. “It was so scary because his skin was so tight and no one knew what was going on.”

Click here to see the photos of Mckenzie’s condition.

Nephrotic syndrome is usually caused by damage to blood vessels in the kidneys that filter out waste and excess water, according to Mayo Clinic. The body then excretes too much protein in the urine and causes the body to swell.

There is no known cure for the disease, but the American Kidney Fund reports that it is most common among children ages 2 to 6. Around 2 in every 10,000 children are affected by the kidney disease.

Mckenzie has now started an eight-week chemotherapy treatment, which may help stabilize the disorder. His parents also have to give him steroids every day to stop his kidneys from leaking.

“He’s having a daily dose of chemotherapy to hopefully kill off his immune system to stop it attacking his kidneys,” Antonia said. “He’s not allowed any salty food and he’s only allowed a pint and a half of water each day.”

The parents must closely observe Mckenzie to ensure he doesn’t relapse. They said they can tell he’s retaining water when he doesn’t use the toilet for a long time and his body begins to swell. This year, he’s been admitted to the hospital three times from relapses.

In a Facebook post on Sept. 11, Mckenzie’s father Andy shared an update on his progress since beginning chemotherapy. “For the first time since he got diagnosed in January, his wee is negative [for protein] for 3 days on the the trot.”

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