When your child cries when she urinates, the most likely culprit of her pain is a urinary tract infection, also known as a bladder infection. Urinary tract infections cause painful urination and other symptoms. When left untreated, they can lead to kidney infections, which can be dangerous. Urinary tract infections typically go away with medication.
Determining the Problem
Ask your child about his problems with urination. For example, if he is experiencing a burning sensation when he urinates or if he feels that he is going more frequently, he may have a urinary tract infection. If your child is too young to talk about the problem, you will have to watch to determine if he is urinating more frequently or if he is showing signs of distress. Potty trained toddlers may also begin having accidents. Look at the urine as well. If it appears cloudy or has a very strong odor, those are also indications of a urinary tract infection.
Causes
A urinary tract infection is caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract. This can occur because the child is not wiping properly. For example, girls should wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the bowels to the vagina or urinary tract. Children in diapers may contract urinary tract infections from diaper changes that are not frequent enough. Using bubble baths also can irritate the urinary tract of some children. In addition, some children are prone to urinary tract infections even when they have proper hygiene.
Treatment
The pediatrician will prescribe a course of antibiotics to treat the urinary tract infection. The type of antibiotic and the strength of the dose depends on the severity of the infection. In addition, the pediatrician might prescribe a mild pain reliever or advise you to use an over-the-counter pain reliever to ease your child's pain during urination. After the course of antibiotics is finished, your pediatrician may wish to retest the urine to ensure that the infection is gone.
When to Consult Your Pediatrician
If you suspect that your child has a urinary tract infection, contact your pediatrician right away. Your pediatrician will conduct tests to ensure that this is the problem rather than a more rare problem that can cause painful urination such as vaginitis or a pinworm infection. If your child develops a fever, lower back pain, belly pain, vomiting or chills, the infection may have spread to her kidneys. Seek medical help immediately if you suspect a kidney infection because the sooner you catch it the more likely you can minimize any long term damage to the kidneys.
