Urinary tract infections in children
What is a urinary tract infection?
A urinary tract infection is caused by germs (bacteria) growing in your child's bladder or the tubes that carry urine. Sometimes bacteria infect the kidneys. An infection can make your child slightly ill or very sick.
Children can get an
infection anywhere along their urinary tract.
infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.
Bacteria can travel up the urethra to the bladder and the kidneys.
The urinary tract is made up of:
- The
kidney
Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood to make urine. You have two of them, on either side of your abdominal cavity, toward your back.kidneys - The
bladder
Your bladder is the hollow organ at the top of your pelvis that stores urine. It is similar to a balloon, only with stronger walls. It fills up with urine until you go to the bathroom.bladder - The tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder (called the ureters)
- The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside (called the urethra).
If bacteria infect a part of the urinary tract, they irritate it. This can lead to symptoms such as discomfort when urinating.
1
Source:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
Urinary tract infections in children.
Available at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utichildren/ (accessed on 10 June 2008).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
Urinary tract infections in children.
Available at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utichildren/ (accessed on 10 June 2008).
Your child's urinary tract is usually free of bacteria.
2 But the bacteria on the skin around your child's
rectum or genitals can sometimes travel up the urethra to the bladder and the kidneys. Girls, for example, can get infected by wiping
from back to front after a bowel movement, instead of from front to back.
Source:
Larcombe J.
Urinary tract infection in children.
July 2007. Clinical Evidence. (Based on December 2006 search) Available at http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/chd/0306/0306.jsp (accessed on 12 June 2008).
Larcombe J.
Urinary tract infection in children.
July 2007. Clinical Evidence. (Based on December 2006 search) Available at http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/chd/0306/0306.jsp (accessed on 12 June 2008).
rectum
The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels).
The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels).
Some children have an abnormal urinary tract, which can make them more likely to get infections there.
1 One problem is called vesicoureteral reflux, or reflux for short. Normally urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder and then to the outside. But in children with reflux, some
urine also flows backward from the bladder toward the kidneys. Your doctor might order tests using
ultrasound scans and
X-rays to check for reflux. These tests can also tell if your child has a blockage in their urinary tract that might be stopping the flow of urine.
Source:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
Urinary tract infections in children.
Available at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utichildren/ (accessed on 10 June 2008).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
Urinary tract infections in children.
Available at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utichildren/ (accessed on 10 June 2008).
ultrasound
Ultrasound is a tool doctors use to create images of the inside of your body. The ultrasound machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which are directed at an area of your body through a device such as a probe. The waves reflect off parts of your body to create a picture. Ultrasound is often used to see a developing baby inside a woman's womb.
Ultrasound is a tool doctors use to create images of the inside of your body. The ultrasound machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which are directed at an area of your body through a device such as a probe. The waves reflect off parts of your body to create a picture. Ultrasound is often used to see a developing baby inside a woman's womb.
X-ray
X-rays are pictures taken of the inside of your body. They are done by passing very small amounts of radiation through your body and onto film. X-rays can also be used as a treatment, such as in radiation therapy for cancer.
X-rays are pictures taken of the inside of your body. They are done by passing very small amounts of radiation through your body and onto film. X-rays can also be used as a treatment, such as in radiation therapy for cancer.
If your child has a weak
immune system (the parts of the body that help to fight infection), they may be more at risk of infections of their urinary tract.
immune system
The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that are devoted to fighting infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to use its destructive powers to target healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.
The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that are devoted to fighting infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to use its destructive powers to target healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.
A urinary tract infection of the urethra and bladder is sometimes called cystitis. An infection that affects the kidneys is called pyelonephritis.
Kidney infections are much more serious than bladder infections and can cause permanent kidney damage.
3 Your child might get a high temperature, vomiting and stomach pain and need hospital treatment right away.
Source:
Bloomfield P, Hodson EM, Craig JC.
Antibiotics for acute pyelonephritis in children (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.
Bloomfield P, Hodson EM, Craig JC.
Antibiotics for acute pyelonephritis in children (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.
Sources for the information on this page:
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health Urinary tract infections in children.Available at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utichildren/ (accessed on 10 June 2008).
- Larcombe J.Urinary tract infection in children.July 2007. Clinical Evidence. (Based on December 2006 search) Available at http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/chd/0306/0306.jsp (accessed on 12 June 2008).
- Bloomfield P, Hodson EM, Craig JC.Antibiotics for acute pyelonephritis in children (Cochrane review).In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.
This information was last updated on Jun 30, 2008
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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