Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common and happen when bacteria grow inside the urinary tract. Yet a child with a UTI is at greater risk of kidney damage than adults.
If your child develops a UTI, there’s usually no need to worry. UTIs are common in children, and they can be treated with a course of antibiotics.
But children with UTIs are more at risk of developing complications, such as pyelonephritis. This is a kind of kidney infection, and it can cause more harm to a child than an adult.
Knowing what symptoms to look out for in your child can help you seek treatment as quickly as possible to avoid any complications and get your child back to their usual self.
Symptoms in kids
Photography by Maskot/Getty Images
According to the American Urology Association, as many as 8 in every 100 girls and 2 in every 100 boys will develop a UTI.
When you have a UTI, your bladder, urethra, and the tubes that connect your bladder to your kidneys can become swollen. The symptoms that your child will experience when they have a UTI will likely be the same as an adult, except they may not be able to communicate them effectively, especially if they’re an infant.
If a very young child gets a UTI, they will be unable to tell you what they are feeling. Their symptoms are likely to seem vague and may include:
needing to urinate frequently but producing little urine when they go
The symptoms you may notice in your child will differ depending on their age and the severity of the infection. Sometimes, a very young child may have only a fever and no other signs.
If you suspect your child has any of these symptoms, take them to see a medical professional as soon as possible. Without treatment, your child may be at risk of a kidney infection.
This is more serious than a bladder infection and can cause more severe symptoms, such as:
Newborns may have no fever but will not want to feed and may vomit.
Children younger than 2 years may have a fever and will likely not feed, with vomiting and diarrhea.
Children older than 2 years will have severe stomach and back pain and need to urinate frequently.
Children can have trouble vocalizing when they do not feel right, and any symptoms can be easily missed.
If you think your child looks sick, has a fever without a clear cause, or is not behaving like their usual self, speak with a doctor. They will be able to determine whether your child has a UTI and needs treatment.
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While healthy urine is sterile, your skin is home to millions of bacteria, especially around the rectum. Because of how close the urethra is to the rectum in people with a vagina, bacteria can easily travel up the urethra and into the bladder. When this happens, it is easy for the bacteria to grow and cause an infection.
If a bladder infection is left without treatment, it can develop into a kidney infection. This is more serious.
Some structural differences in the internal organs can cause your child to be more likely to get UTIs. These include:
Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR): This is where a valve that usually works to keep urine from flowing backward toward the kidneys stops working. This urine may carry bacteria that can infect the kidneys.
Urinary obstruction: A blockage may prevent urine from passing through the urinary tract. This can lead to an infection.
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If you suspect your child has a UTI, you should seek advice from a medical professional as soon as possible. Your child will most likely need antibiotic medications to quickly prevent the infection from spreading through the urinary tract.
The doctor will determine the right type of antibiotic for your child. If the infection is mild, they will typically prescribe oral antibiotics. Some medications that a doctor may recommend for your child’s UTI include:
A doctor may also suggest pain medication to help soothe symptoms while the antibiotics get to work. Both ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are suitable for children older than 6 months, and both are available as liquids.
If your child has a severe infection, they may need hospitalization to ensure they get treatment safely. This may be in the form of intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
This may happen if:
Your child is younger than 6 months old.
The infection is in the kidneys.
The infection is severe and is now a blood infection like sepsis.
Your child has a fever that will not go away.
If your child develops any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible:
intense pain
rash
swelling in the belly
vomiting
headaches
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Summary
Children often get UTIs, and they are most likely easily treatable. However, they are more at risk of developing complications such as kidney infections. Quick treatment is important for preventing the infection from worsening.
Determining whether your child has a UTI can be difficult. Looking out for painful urination, loss of appetite, and cloudy urine, as well as general signs of an illness, can help you spot a UTI in your child.
Certain structural differences in the body can increase the chances of your child developing a UTI, such as blockages in the urinary tract. A doctor will likely recommend an antibiotic to treat your child’s UTI.
If you notice a rash develop on your child’s skin or they start vomiting along with other symptoms of a UTI, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible.
