UK’s First Pediatric Ketamine Clinic Reveals Severe Bladder Damage in Children as Young as 13
A new analysis of the UK’s first dedicated pediatric ketamine clinic at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool reveals that children as young as 13 are suffering from severe, irreversible bladder damage. The clinic, which opened in May 2026, has received over 100 referrals, with the first 60 patients averaging 14 years of age. Most patients are girls living in deprived areas, many with histories of trauma, ADHD, or care system involvement. Symptoms include incontinence, chronic pain, and potential kidney failure, driven by a cycle where users take the drug to relieve the pain it causes.
