Kidney and Urinary Tract Problems

Any symptom suspicious for urinary tract infection, including  painful urination, urinary frequency or urgency should be evaluated in the office.  High fever associated with symptoms of painful urination, urinary frequency or urgency should be evaluated within a few hours of their development.  Pyelonephritis (kidney infection) can develop in these cases.

Patinets who have had a urinary tract infection should be rechecked in the office with a repeat urine culture to make sure the infection is resolved.  Recurrent urinary tract infections should be evaluated by kidney ultrasound and a dye test (a void cystourethragram) to evaluate the possibility of urinary tract abnormalities.  Vesico-ureteral reflux and anatomic abnormalities can be present.  These conditions require treatment.  Consult us about the need for these tests during an office visit.

Other common types of urinary problems involve irritation of the bladder. This occurs especially in girls who take bubble baths or add soapy substances to their bath water.  We do not recommend that children use bubble baths, dish washing powder, bath oil, bath beads or other additives.  These substances can be drawn into the urinary bladder by sitting in soapy water.  This can irritate the bladder, mimicking a urinary tract infection.

If your child develops problems with nighttime or even daytime wetting (enuresis), please see the section on bed wetting (enuresis) on this website.