Kids Health Watch is Sponsored by Children’s Medical Group
Now that summer is in full swing, children are spending more time swimming, playing outdoors, and enjoying their break from school. Along with all that fun comes a seasonal problem pediatricians often see: painful urination, also known as dysuria.
When a child complains that it hurts to urinate, parents often worry about a urinary tract infection (UTI). While a UTI is certainly one possible cause, another common culprit is chemical urethritis, an irritation of the urinary opening that can mimic many of the same symptoms.
A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enter the urinary system and multiply in the bladder. In some cases, the infection can travel higher into the kidneys. Diagnosing a UTI requires a urine sample, and treatment typically involves antibiotics. UTIs are more common in girls than boys, and uncircumcised boys have a slightly higher risk than circumcised boys. Children under two years of age often require a more specialized evaluation because their symptoms may be less obvious and infections can be more serious.
Chemical urethritis, on the other hand, is not an infection and does not require antibiotics. Instead, it results from irritation of the sensitive tissues around the urinary opening. Common causes include bubble baths, bath bombs, scented soaps, and prolonged time spent in wet swimsuits after swimming.
Both UTIs and chemical urethritis can cause painful urination, frequent trips to the bathroom, difficulty starting a urine stream, or even blood in the urine. Because the symptoms overlap, it can be difficult for parents to tell the difference at home. However, there are some differences.
Children with a UTI may also develop fever, abdominal pain, back pain, or feel increasingly unwell. With chemical urethritis, however, the child otherwise feels well, but redness or irritation can occur around the urethral opening, along with very localized pain. Chemical urethritis symptoms should improve after a few days of remedial measures, but how can it be prevented in the first place?
Encourage children to shower when possible, or save soaps and shampoos for the very end of bath time. Provide instruction regarding toilet hygiene. Remind children to change into dry clothes after swimming, and avoid heavily scented bath products if irritation becomes a recurring problem.
If your child develops painful urination, contact your pediatrician for guidance.
