A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is infection in the parts of the body that urine passes through, such as the kidneys, bladder, urethra or urethra. The Kids' Health website estimates that about 8 percent of girls and between 1 and 2 percent of boys will need treatment for a UTI before the age of 5. Infections like this can be painful and may require medical care. Both adults and children can suffer from urinary tract infections, but there are certain things that put children at particular risk.
Poor Hygiene
EMedicine Health reports that poor hygiene is one of the chief causes of urinary tract infections in children. Little ones often have trouble wiping themselves properly after using the bathroom. Getting children to properly and consistently wash their hands after using the bathroom can also prove to be a difficult task. Poor hygiene habits leave children susceptible to the germs that can cause infections in the urinary tract.
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Abnormalities like vesicoureteral reflux are often the cause of frequent UTIs in children, reports the National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Also called VUR, this abnormality causes urine to flow backward up the ureter to the kidneys when the bladder becomes full, as opposed to down from the kidneys, to the ureter and the bladder.
Dysfunctional Voiding
The NKUDIC also reports dysfunctional voiding as one of the reasons that UTI infections tend to be so common in children. This is an abnormality that occurs when children don't go to the bathroom because they don't want to stop playing. Squeezing the muscles to prevent urination, on a regular basis, can eventually cause a child to be unable to completely empty her bladder on her own, causing her to strain and sometimes send urine back up the ureter into the bladder. This can lead to VUR, or a full-fledged urinary tract infection.
Bath Products
The Kids' Health website suggests that certain bubble baths and soaps may put kids at a particular risk for urinary tract infections. Without proper rinsing, some of the ingredients in these products can irritate the urethra, leaving it susceptible to infection. Shop carefully for safe products, or bathe your child in pure water, to eliminate this cause.
