The bladder is an organ designed to store urine until it is released from the body. Nerves tell the brain when the bladder is full, then the brain sends the message to muscles in the bladder that it's time to either tighten or release. A disruption in any part of this process can cause a bladder condition.
Types
The University of Rochester Medical Center lists three types of pediatric bladder conditions: neurogenic bladder, voiding dysfunction and vesicoureteral reflux, or VUR. Neurogenic bladder results when the nerves do not work properly, causing muscles in the bladder to contract too often or too quickly. Children with a voiding dysfunction don't empty their bladder normally; they wait too long, go too frequently or try to urinate when the muscles that allow urine to flow are tightened. Vesicoureteral reflux is when urine that's in the bladder flows back up into the kidney.
Symptoms
The two most common symptoms of a bladder condition are urinary incontinence and urinary tract infection. Signs of urinary incontinence include going to the bathroom frequently, dribbling urine, releasing only a small amount when voiding, an inability to sense the need to urinate and wetting the bed or pants. Urinary tract infections sometimes cause general symptoms, such as irritability, no appetite or fever, but common signs are pain or burning when urinating, frequent trips to the bathroom and low back or abdominal pain. Children with voiding dysfunction might experience pain in the back or abdomen, blood in their urine or pain when they urinate, according to Children's Hospital Boston.
Diganosis
The first step toward diagnosis is to consult your pediatrician, who might refer you to a pediatric urologist. If voiding dysfunction is an issue, the doctor might ask you to keep a voiding diary. Urodynamic studies help diagnose neurogenic bladder. During the study, your child's bladder is filled with saline solution in order to measure volume and the quality and frequency of muscle contractions. In some cases, doctors might use ultrasound to find abnormalities and a special x-ray called a voiding cystourethrogram to visualize the flow of urine.
Treatments
If your child has persistent urinary tract infections, your doctor can treat the infections with antibiotics. A common treatment for voiding dysfunction is to make sure your child goes to the bathroom every two to three hours, but sometimes medication to relieve hyperactivity also helps. Low-grade VUR often resolves within five years and specific treatment is not necessary, according to the Children's Hospital Boston. More severe VUR may require surgical intervention. The treatments for neurogenic conditions include medication, regular catheterization or surgery.
Considerations
Children diagnosed with VUR have a higher risk of developing kidney infections. Neurogenic bladder sometimes forces urine back into the kidneys just like VUR, and over time this can cause scarring and permanent damage to the kidneys.
