What are the Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections in Children?

Some of the symptoms of urinary tract infections in children are fever, increased occurrences of bedwetting, pain while urinating, and frequent bathroom trips. The urine from a child may also smell strong, be cloudy, or have a red tinge to it. Sometimes, fever, vomiting, or lack of eating may be associated with urinary tract infections in infants. Whatever the symptoms, it is important to act quickly if a parent thinks his child has such an infection. If the infection is not treated it could affect and damage the kidneys.

Symptoms of urinary tract infections in children can vary, depending on how old the child is. The infection may be more easily recognized in older children who can articulate what hurts and how they are feeling. One of the main symptoms of urinary tract infections in children is pain. For example, a child may not want to go to the bathroom because it hurts to urinate. If the infection is in the kidney, pain may also be felt in the back or in the side.

A child may experience more frequent episodes of bedwetting because he cannot properly control his urination. Reduced control over urination, a condition called incontinence, is another of the symptoms of urinary tract infections in children. The child may also have to make several trips to the bathroom with little output. When he does go, if the urine has a strong odor or color, this can indicate a urinary tract infection.

For parents with infants, a urinary tract infection may be harder to spot. Often, a small child will experience fever seemingly without cause. In other words, a child may develop a fever, but not seem to be otherwise sick. Many times, the fever may be experienced in conjunction with a lack of eating and vomiting. The infant may also be lethargic.

Other symptoms of urinary tract infections in children include diarrhea, chills, and simply feeling sick. If a person sees any urinary tract symptoms in a child, he should take the child to a doctor. These infections may be easily treated, but left unchecked, the infection could damage the child’s kidneys. The doctor will diagnose the symptoms often by taking a sample of the urine to see if there are bacteria present that may be causing the infection. After the bacteria are identified, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.