Urinary tract infections in children
The importance of urinary tract infections lies not only in the fact that it is the most common disease of the kidney and urinary tract, and one of the most common causes of fever in children, but also because it is a marker of possible underlying anatomical or functional abnormalities and mainly because when it involves the kidney it can cause irreversible damage with medium and long-term sequelae such as renal scarring, hypertension and loss of renal proteins.
Children under 5 years of age and especially children under 2 years of age are the most at risk group and the female sex is usually the most affected due to anatomical differences with respect to the male sex.
In addition to age and sex, there are other predisposing factors for urinary tract infections, among which we can mention:
- Anatomical alterations of the urinary tract such as: vesico-ureteral reflux (or return of urinary flow from the bladder to the ureters) and obstructive malformations of the urinary tract such as posterior urethral valves and strictures.
- Lithiasis or urinary tract stones.
- Renal tubular dysfunctions such as hypercalciuria or urinary calcium loss.
- Persistence of narrow foreskin.
- Vulvovaginits.
Symptoms vary with age, in newborns we can present food refusal, fever, irritability, convulsions, jaundice or yellowing of the skin.
In infants there may be a more prolonged febrile state, vomiting, foul-smelling urine, diarrhea, and straining when urinating.
School children and older children already report more specific urinary symptoms such as burning sensation to urinate, urinary retention, incontinence, back or lower abdominal pain, chills and evidence of blood in the urine or hematuria.
In case of any of the above mentioned symptoms, it is important to have a timely nephrological consultation.
Nephrology, Internal Medicine, Renal Transplant.
