Urinary tract infection in children

Urinary tract infection in children

Urinary tract infection in children can be difficult to detect. Common symptoms are fever, vomiting, diarrhea and lack of appetite.

What is urinary tract infection in children?

A urinary tract infection is caused by bacteria that have spread from the urethra up to the bladder. This is called cystitis. In rare cases, the infection can spread to the kidneys and cause pyelonephritis.

Urinary tract infection occurs more frequently among girls than boys because girls have shorter urethras. This means that there is a shorter path for the bacteria to enter the urinary bladder.

Symptoms of urinary tract infection in children

It can be difficult to detect a urinary tract infection in children, especially the youngest. Children can have completely different symptoms to adults, which means that one does not immediately think of a urinary tract infection. Common symptoms are:

• Increased irritability

• Fever

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Lack of appetite

• Some people get cloudy or foul-smelling urine

• Difficulty urinating or frequent urination

• Children may also express that they have a stomach ache or that it hurts to urinate

Treatment of urinary tract infection in children

Urinary tract infection can be easily treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can be given as an oral solution or tablets. Side effects of antibiotics are usually mild, but it is not unusual for the child to experience an upset stomach, diarrhea or rash.

The child usually gets better after one or two days of antibiotic treatment. Nevertheless, it is important that the child completes the entire course of antibiotics to prevent the infection from returning.

Sources: Norwegian health informatics, Health Norway