What are the signs and symptoms of bladder control problems in children? Losing urine by accident is the main sign of a bladder control problem. Your child may often have wet or stained underwear—or a wet bed. Squatting, leg crossing, and heel sitting can be signs of an overactive bladder.
"Urinary tract infections and nocturnal enuresis – commonly known as nighttime bedwetting – are the most common bladder issues affecting children," says Janelle Traylor, APRN, FNP, a nurse practitioner with Children's Health℠ who specializes in caring for children with urological issues.
Children normally gain control over their bladders somewhere between ages 2 and 4—each in their own time. Occasional wetting is common even in 4- to 6-year-old children. By age 4, when most children stay dry during the day, daytime wetting can be very upsetting and embarrassing.
More specific signs that your child may have a UTI include: pain or a burning sensation when peeing. needing to pee frequently. deliberately holding in their pee.
Normal urine is sterile and has no bacteria in it. But bacteria cover the skin and are found in large numbers in the rectal area and in stools. Bacteria may, at times, travel up the urethra into the bladder. When this happens, the bacteria multiply and, unless the body gets rid of the bacteria, may cause infection.
Some children may benefit from having a micturating cystourethrogram (MCUG), which is a scan that shows how well the child's bladder works. It is used to diagnose why the child may have urinary tract infections. It is also used to show up any abnormalities with the child's urinary system.
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. In children under age 3, it's normal to not have full bladder control. As children get older, they become more able to control their bladder. When wetting happens in a child who is old enough to control his or her bladder, it's known as enuresis.
If your child has an infection, you may find him or her trying to urinate more often than usual to soothe the pain. Increased urination or new daytime or nighttime wetting may also be a sign of a more serious problem, such as diabetes. Follow-up care is a key part of your child's treatment and safety.
Common problems
Enlarged prostate - in men, this can make it difficult to empty the bladder. Incontinence - when urine leaks out of the urethra. Kidney infections - when a bladder infection 'backs up' the ureters. Kidney stones - caused by infection and high blood levels of calcium.
Urologic diseases or conditions include urinary tract infections, kidney stones, bladder control problems, and prostate problems, among others. Some urologic conditions last only a short time, while others are long-lasting.
Urodynamic testing, including electromyography, looks at how well parts of the urinary tract—the bladder, urethra, and sphincters—are storing and releasing urine. Cystoscopy is a procedure that uses a cystoscope—a long, thin instrument—to look inside the urethra and bladder.
Uroflowmetry. Uroflowmetry measures how much urine is in your bladder and how fast the urine comes out, also known as flow rate. The results of this test can show if your bladder muscles are weak or if urine flow is blocked.
What are the signs and symptoms of bladder control problems in children? Losing urine by accident is the main sign of a bladder control problem. Your child may often have wet or stained underwear—or a wet bed. Squatting, leg crossing, and heel sitting can be signs of an overactive bladder.
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a highly prevalent disorder in the pediatric population.
ADHD and bedwetting may occur together. This may be due to delays in the development of the central nervous system, which affects bladder control and recognizing the need to go to the bathroom.
Previous studies have suggested that lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), e.g., urinary frequency, pressure, urgency, overactive bladder and interstitial cystitis, frequently co-occur with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of a bladder infection may include pain or burning when a child urinates. Babies and young children may have different symptoms from older children. Sometimes a fever is the only symptom of a bladder infection in a young child.
Young children
It's not always obvious when an infant or child younger than age 2 has a bladder infection. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Or, your child may be too young to be able to explain what feels wrong. A urine test is the only way to know for certain whether your child has a bladder or kidney infection.
Although bacterial infections are the most common cause of cystitis, a number of noninfectious factors also may cause the bladder to become inflamed. Some examples include: Interstitial cystitis. The cause of this chronic bladder inflammation, also called painful bladder syndrome, is not clear.
These UTIs are called "silent" because they usually have no symptoms of pain, no burning, no odor, no frequency, etc. BUT there will often be profound changes in behaviors.”