children s health issues
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in Children
Introduction
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection of the urinary bladder ( Bladder Infection ), the kidneys ( Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria. Infants and younger children who have urinary tract infections sometimes have structural abnormalities of their urinary system that make them more susceptible to urinary infection. Newborns and infants may have no symptoms other than a fever, whereas older children have pain or burning during urination, pain in the bladder region, and a need to urinate frequently. The diagnosis is based on an examination and culture of the urine. Proper hygiene may help prevent urinary tract infections. Antibiotics are given to eliminate the infection. (For adults, see Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) .) Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in childhood. Nearly all UTIs are caused by bacteria that enter the opening of the urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder out of the body) and move upward to the urinary bladder and sometimes the kidneys. Rarely, in severe infections, bacteria may enter the bloodstream from the kidneys and cause infection of the bloodstream ( Sepsis and Septic Shock ) or of other organs. During infancy, boys are more likely to develop urinary tract infections. After infancy, girls are much more likely to develop them. UTIs are more common among girls because their short urethras make it easier for bacteria to move up the urinary tract. Uncircumcised infant boys (because bacteria tend to accumulate under the foreskin), children who are Preterm (Premature) Newborns , and young children with severe Severe constipation may lead to urinary tract infections in children. UTIs in older school-aged children and adolescents differ little from UTIs in adults (see Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) ). Younger infants and children who have UTIs, however, more commonly have various structural abnormalities of their urinary system that make them more susceptible to urinary infection. These abnormalities include Up to 50% of infants and preschool children with a UTI—particularly those with fever—have both Bladder Infection and (See also Overview of Bacterial Infections in Children .) 