Urinary Tract Infections in Children

Risk factors (things that increase a child's risk) of Reference urinary tract infection (UTI) Opens New Window include:

• Abnormalities of the urinary tract, including Reference kidney stones Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window and other Reference urinary obstructions. Structural or functional problems that limit the kidneys' or the bladder's ability to eliminate urine properly can increase the risk of UTIs. These problems may be present at birth or may develop soon after.
• Infrequent urination, incomplete emptying of the bladder, or constipation. These patterns are common during Reference toilet training Opens New Window and make it easier for bacteria to build up in the urine.
• An uncircumcised penis. The foreskin can trap bacteria, which can then enter the Reference urinary tract Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window and cause infection.
• Catheterization, which is used in a hospital when a child is unable to urinate on his or her own. Bacteria can enter the Reference catheter Opens New Window and start an infection.
• Previous UTIs. The risk for future infections increases with each additional infection.
• History of UTI or the backward flow of urine from the bladder into the kidneys (Reference vesicoureteral reflux Opens New Window) in a parent or sibling.

Infants and young children who have UTIs often have vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

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