Children who experience urinary conditions are exposed to many challenges. Some pediatric urinary problems can be accompanied with physical pain, while others may only provide embarrassment. If your child experiences these difficulties, pediatric urology specialists can provide her with treatment. Children and adults can both suffer from urinary problems. However, there are certain urinary issues that are common in children.
Incontinence
Incontinence is when you urinate without any control. In children this can often lead to embarrassing episodes of wetting his pants. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states the most frequent causes of incontinence in children is an overactive bladder and infrequent voiding. With an overactive bladder, the bladder contracts sharply without warning and shoots urine through the urethra before it can contract and hold the urine in. Infrequent voiding is when the child chooses to not urinate and the bladder overfills and starts to leak.
Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria invades the tract from the kidneys to the urethra or any area in between. An article on the KidsHealth website claims that these infections are common in children and more prevalent in girls during the toilet training age. This is due to the E.coli bacteria found in the anus that may be wiped into the urethra. If your child experiences pain and frequency in urinating or foul smelling urine, they may have a urinary tract infection. A doctor can prescribe antibiotics to treat this common urinary problem.
Yeast Infection
Yeast infections are caused by microscopic fungus that create itchiness, redness, and inflammation in the groin area. These infections are usually harmless, except for the aggravation they cause. They can cause inflammation in the urinary tract, kidneys, and bladder. According to the American Urological Association Foundation, this is more common in females ages 20 to 40, but children can also develop this infection and is usually in the form of a diaper rash. Treatment for yeast infection requires a anti-fungal cream that the doctor can give your child.
Bed Wetting
Bed wetting is a common problem for children. The Merck Medical Manual claims that bed wetting in children older than 5 is likely the result of a delay in the urinary tract's nerve and muscle maturation process. Genetics may also play a role, as the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases claims that researchers found that if both parents were bed wetters, the child had an 80 percent chance of having the same problem. Most often, bed wetting is treated on its own when the urinary organs mature. If your child continues to suffer from this experience, a physician may be able to help.
Hematuria
Hematuria is the medical term for blood in the urine. This can be caused by many conditions, but according to the American Urological Association Foundation, it may have no apparent cause. If your child has visible blood in his urine, you should contact a physician as soon as possible, as it can indicate infection, kidney stones, or even cancer.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Urinary Incontinence in Children
- KidsHealth.org: Urinary Tract Infections
- The Merck Manual: Symptoms and Diagnosis of Kidney and Urinary Tract Disorders
- UriologyHealth.org: Pediatric Conditions--Abnormalities--Hematuria
- UriologyHealth.org: Pediatric Conditions--Inflammation and Infection--Yeast Infection
