Pediatric bladder stones

What are pediatric bladder stones?

Bladder stones range in size from sand to rocks. Bladder stones form when the minerals in your child’s urine make crystals and stick together. This can happen when there is frequent urine infection, incomplete urine emptying, or prior bladder surgeries. 

If the crystals and sand stay in the bladder for a while, they can grow to be the size of rocks and even a grapefruit.

What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric bladder stones?

Sometimes, bladder stones are small and your child may have no symptoms. However, bladder stones can roll around in the bladder and can cause symptoms.

Symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain

• Blood in the urine

• Dark colored or cloudy urine

• Difficulty with urination

• Frequent urination

• Incontinence (daytime accidents)

• Lower back pain

• Nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting)

• Pain in the penis or testicles (for boys)

• Painful urination

• Urine flow that stops and starts

What are the causes of pediatric bladder stones?

The most common causes and risk factors for bladder stones are:

• Bladder infection

• Incomplete bladder emptying from medications, urethral blockage, or nerve damage to the bladder (called neurogenic bladder from spina bifida or spinal cord injury)

• Catheter use

• Bladder birth defects requiring prior bladder surgeries, such as bladder augmentation

• Chronic dehydration 

• Bladder diverticulum (a small sac that may trap particles in the bladder)

• Inflammation caused by radiation treatment

• Small kidney stones (that travel to the bladder)

How are pediatric bladder stones treated?

Usually bladder stones need surgical removal under anesthesia. A pediatric urologist will use tiny scopes, lasers and baskets to break and remove the stones.