Bed-wetting is just one of many urinary tract infection symptoms in children. Knowing whether bed-wetting is caused by a UTI infection or not can help identify the early sign of a urinary tract infection, and as a result help reduce bed-wetting caused by an infection.
Basic Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms
There are several symptoms of urinary tract infections that are present in both children and adults. First, does the child have to use the restroom more than usual, but still complain about not actually peeing that much? With a UTI, the urge to urinate frequently may be accompanied by a foul smell to the urine, cloudy urine, or abdominal pains. A fever may also accompany frequent urges to urinate.
Just needing to urinate frequently, however, is not a tell-tale sign of a UTI. The feeling of always having to go may not be a urinary tract infection symptom at all, but merely the result of stress or anxiety.
Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms in Children
As mentioned above, bed-wetting is a symptom of a UTI in children, but a child may also have a loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as well. Abdominal pain and excessive crying may also occur. Also, the child may complain about it hurting to urinate, which may lead to crying. Oftentimes a child is embarrassed to tell an adult that it hurts to pee, so instead they mask what they are crying about. Pay attention to whether or not crying is immediately after urinating.
Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms in Girls vs Boys
While boys tend to experience bed-wetting more frequently, girls are more apt to experience bed-wetting as a result of a urinary tract infection. The reason is because in girls, the urethra is closer to the anus and a lot shorter than it is in boys. As boys grow older, the ratio of boys to girls begins to even out as the male prostate enlarges, blocking the urethra and leading to urinary retention.
Proper Diagnosis of UTI Symptoms in Children
Many times, diagnosis of a urinary tract infection in children is done by analyzing the symptoms alone. As mentioned, cloudy or foul-smelling urine is often a key indicator of a UTI. If needed, a urinalysis can be performed where specific nitrites and bacteria can be examined to definitely diagnose a UTI infection.
Coping With Bed-wetting Caused by a UTI
Parents handling a child with a UTI infection that is causing bed-wetting can help ease the problem by using a waterproof mattress cover on the child’s bed while the condition is treated. Since bed-wetting caused by a UTI infection is normally temporary, the use of a disposable underpant such as Goodnites or Underjams may also help the child to sleep more sound.
Knowing these urinary tract infection symptoms can help your child overcome the infection quickly and as painless as possible.