Q: My fourteen-months-old daughter has been diagnosed with VUR in both kidneys with grade 3 and 4. I know that grade 3 reflux can be treated with medicines but I am worried about grade 4 refux. Is it possible to treat grade 4 with medicines only? The treatment for her is septran 4.0 ml daily for years till the grade comes down. Can I follow homeopathy for her treatment? Right now, I am thinking of following Allopathic treatment for six months and look for improvement in grade 4 case. Are grade 3 and 4 there from birth or has their intensity increase after frequent fevers (6-7 times since birth) in which 3 are confirmed UTIs?

A:VUR predisposes a child to frequent urine infections, which can cause scars in the kidney. The treatment by and large is medical which is to continue suppressive antibiotic therapy till the age of 10-15 years or till reflux improves which happens in many children. You should get a DMSA scan to find that there are no scars in the kidney. Continue Septran and get urine c/s only if there is fever and dysuria. Follow urine albumin creatinine ratio, serum creatinine & urea, Haemogram every 3-4 monthly. I do not know about homeopathy so wont comment. However, treatment of VUR is fairly standardised and role of surgical intervention has decreased over the last 3 decades or so, only to be done in your daughter’s case if there are breakthrough infections with continued suppressive antibiotic therapy.