According to the Mayo Clinic, a urinary tract infection (UTI) can impact the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. They suggest that UTIs occur more often in girls than boys. In some cases, frequent UTIs can be the result of an underlying health condition like kidney or bladder abnormality. UTI symptoms in toddlers are difficult to recognize.
Cold and Flu-Like Symptoms
A toddler may have a fever with any type of infection and a UTI is no exception. The Mayo Clinic suggests that a UTI fever may be difficult to discern from other conditions because it may also be accompanied by irritability, body aches, appetite changes, nausea or vomiting. Dr. Spock also suggests that children may be inconsolable, look sick, have trouble sleeping and may be more tired or less active than normal.
Pain
Pain specific to UTIs includes discomfort above the pubic bone, flank pain and tenderness or pain while urinating. The UCSF Children's Hospital also indicates that children can experience lower abdominal pain, side pain and back pain with a UTI. Toddlers may cry or become hesitant to urinate.
Urinary Symptoms
Additional symptoms of a UTI include urinary problems. Toddlers may have blood in their urine, feel a greater need to urinate, need to urinate more often and may lose the ability to control their urine, as reported by the Mayo Clinic. A toddler may state they have a strong urge to urinate but only expel a small amount of fluid. Toddlers may revert to bed-wetting or more frequent wetting accidents due to the symptoms of the UTI, as indicated by the UCSF Children's Hospital. Dr. Spock urges caregivers to look for dark-colored urine, reddish urine or foul-smelling urine, as these are signs of a UTI.
