Pediatric recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)

Q: Which part of the urinary tract is affected in urinary tract infections?

Urinary tract infections can affect any part of the urinary tract. When they affect the urethra, the tube in which urine flows out of the body, they’re called urethritis. When they affect the bladder, which stores urine, they’re called cystitis. And when they affect the kidneys, they’re called pyelonephritis.

Q: What part of the urinary tract is most often infected in children?

Urinary tract infections in children most commonly affect the bladder.

Q: What are the symptoms I should look for in my child?

Your child may complain of pain, burning, or difficulty with urination; frequent urination; urgency to urinate; or urinating only small amounts. Other symptoms may include hematuria (blood in the urine), incontinence, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, fatigue, poor appetite, pain in the lower back or lower pelvis or above the pubic bone.

Q: What are the signs that an infection may have reached the kidneys?

Signs of a more serious infection include chills and shaking, high fever, nausea, vomiting, severe pain in the belly, side, or back, and flushed, warm, or red skin.

Q: Do boys get urinary tract infections?

Urinary tract infections are more common in girls, but they can occur in boys, particularly in those who have not been circumcised.

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) are when a child has multiple infections of the urinary tract.

Overview

What are pediatric recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)?

UTIs (urinary tract infections) occur when there is an infection in the kidneys, ureters (tube that drains urine from the kidney to the bladder), bladder or urethra (tube through which urine drains from the bladder outside the body).

Risk factors

UTIs are fairly common in children, especially in girls and uncircumcised boys.

When a child has multiple UTIs over a short period, this is known as recurrent UTIs.

Signs and Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of a pediatric recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI)?

Changes in appearance or smell of urine
Changes in frequency of urination
Chills
Fever
Loss of appetite
Lower abdominal pain
Lower back pain or discomfort
Nausea/vomiting
Pain when urinating

Diagnosis

How are pediatric recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) diagnosed?

Your child’s doctor will make a diagnosis of urinary tract infection through a review of symptoms, a physical examination, a microscopic examination of a urine sample, and other urine tests.

Causes

What are the causes of pediatric recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)?

Germs, usually E. coli, travel into the urinary tract and multiply, causing infection.

Treatment

How ares pediatric recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) treated?

Treatments for urinary tract infections may include:

Antibiotics to get rid of the infection
Medications to reduce pain
Non-drug methods of pain control, such as the application of a heating pad
Instructions to drink more fluids

You should take your child to the doctor to make sure your child gets symptom relief and that the infection doesn’t spread to your child’s kidneys.

Doctors and Providers

Frequently Asked Questions

Which part of the urinary tract is affected in urinary tract infections?

What part of the urinary tract is most often infected in children?

What are the symptoms I should look for in my child?

What are the signs that an infection may have reached the kidneys?

How can I help prevent my child from getting urinary tract infections?

Some cases of infection can be prevented by discouraging your children from taking bubble baths. Girls may help prevent infections by avoiding wearing tight-fitting pants. Girls should also be instructed to wipe from front to back, rather than back to front, after using the bathroom. Wiping back to front can transfer bacteria from the anus to the urethra. It may also be helpful to encourage them to urinate frequently and to drink plenty of fluids, preferably water.

Do boys get urinary tract infections?

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