Children as Young as 13 Suffering Bladder Damage Caused by Ketamine
Analysis of the first 60 patients found two thirds were girls and 72% had childhood trauma, researchers said.
- Children as young as 13 are being referred to a specialist clinic for ketamine-induced bladder damage, according to new analysis from Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust. Researchers found the first 60 patients had an average age of 14, ranging from 13 to 15.
- In response to a rise in young people presenting with ketamine-induced uropathy, the UK's inaugural KIU clinic opened at Alder Hey in May 2025. Ms Harriet Corbett, consultant paediatric urologist, noted an escalating number of children referred with bladder symptoms from non-prescribed ketamine use.
- Around two-thirds of patients were girls from the most deprived areas, with 72% having experienced childhood emotional trauma. Of the total, 16 patients had autism or ADHD, and one in five had experience of the care system.
- The study found children used ketamine for one to two years on average before referral, with half reporting other drug use alongside ketamine. Nearly half used vapes and over a quarter drank alcohol , causing severe bladder damage requiring surgery or dialysis in extreme cases.
- Professor Rachel Isba, professor emerita at Lancaster University's Medical School, said the clinic provides a non-judgmental space for young people to address ketamine use and prevent further harm. First-year findings will inform efforts to identify at-risk youth and provide earlier support within healthcare and communities.
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Daily Mirror
The Business TimesChildren as young as 13 'with ketamine bladder', says new research
Teenagers have been referred to a specialist clinic for a condition linked to sustained ketamine use, according to new research. The study of the first patients at the service in Liverpool also shows that the majority are girls and from deprived areas.
Children as young as 12 treated for Class B drug Ketamine amid warnings of devastating damage
Children as young as 12 are suffering potentially devastating bladder damage after using ketamine, alarming NHS research reveals.Doctors at Britain's first specialist "ketamine bladder" clinic for under-16s found youngsters had typically been using the drug for between one and two years before being referred for treatment.The first analysis of patients attending the pioneering clinic at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, fou…
Evening Standard
Children as young as 13 referred to specialist clinic for ‘ketamine bladder’
Ketamine-induced uropathy is a severe and painful condition.
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