Frequent urination in a child: what to do and how to treat?

Frequent urination in a child is not uncommon. Sometimes it is a sign that he drank too much liquid or ate melon/watermelon or juicy berries. Therefore, you should not immediately start to panic if your child's trips to the toilet become more frequent, but you still need to consider that this may be a sign of a serious illness.

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Epidemiology

It is necessary to indicate statistics on the frequency of urination in children of different ages:

• During the first 5-7 days of life, a baby urinates approximately 4-5 times a day;
• babies under 6 months urinate much more – about 15-20 times;
• in the period of 6-12 months this figure decreases to a maximum of 15 times;
• at the age of 1-3 years, bowel movements occur about 10 times a day;
• at the age of 3-6 years – about 6-8 times;
• at the age of 6-9 years – about 5-6 times;
• Children aged 9+ urinate a maximum of 5-6 times a day.

Statistics also show that approximately 20% of children under 5 years of age experience frequent urination.

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Causes frequent urination

The following factors may be the reasons for increased urination in a child:

• excess fluid that the child drinks;
• diabetes mellitus;
• taking diuretics, such as furosemide;
• infectious diseases of the genitourinary organs - such as nephritis, cystitis, urethritis;
• development of any viral respiratory diseases;
• stressful state, neurosis.

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Symptoms frequent urination

Increased urination alone is not enough to assume that the child has problems. First, you should observe him for some time, because if this problem arose as a result of some pathology, it will be accompanied by other symptoms:

• there is pain when urinating - in this case, older children will complain about it themselves, and very young children may wince and groan or even cry;
• a feeling of false urges - when a child tries to go to the toilet a short time after the previous visit, but there is no urine in the bladder. This is usually a sign of cystitis;
• pain in the abdomen or lumbar region. Older children point out the painful spot themselves, while babies usually wince in pain, kick their legs, and cry. If the pain in the lumbar region is accompanied by a rise in temperature, then this is a sign of kidney disorder;
• the appearance of bags and swelling under the eyes is a symptom of problems with the outflow of fluid from the body. Occurs with pyelonephritis;
• urine becomes cloudy or contains blood - this is a symptom indicating problems with renal filtration, which indicates the development of glomerulonephritis.

Frequent urination in children with and without pain

In the case of increased frequency of daily urination, which occurs without the appearance of painful sensations, and the child does not have problems with night sleep, his temperature is within normal limits, and there are no accompanying symptoms - this means that the cause of the disorder is increased nervous excitement.

Frequent urination accompanied by pain is a sign of cystitis. In the acute form of the disease, these symptoms appear sharply and suddenly, in addition to pain and increased urination, the child also urinates in small portions. In addition, false urges to urinate may appear - in these cases, the child wants to urinate, but cannot. These urges are also accompanied by painful sensations.

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Frequent urination in children at night

Frequent urination in a child at night may be a consequence of the development of diabetes insipidus, as well as damage to the spinal cord or weakening of the walls of the bladder.

Thirst and frequent urination in a child

If the baby, in addition to frequent urination, has a strong thirst, then this is most likely a manifestation of diabetes. As a result of the removal of a large amount of fluid from the body, dehydration occurs. The development of type 2 diabetes is accompanied by the appearance of diseases of the urinary system and inflammation of the bladder.

Abdominal pain and frequent urination in a child

With any pathology affecting the urinary organs, there is an increase in urination frequency. In addition, there may be pain in the abdomen or back. If, in addition to the above symptoms, the child feels chills, his temperature rises and sweating - this may be evidence of the development of renal pathology.

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Frequent urination in small amounts in a child

When a person is stressed or overexcited, adrenaline is released, which simultaneously increases urine production and increases the excitability of the bladder - as a result, the child often wants to go to the toilet, but the bladder is not full (as a result, emptying occurs in small portions). This condition is temporary and disappears on its own when the stress passes.

Diarrhea and frequent urination in a child

Diarrhea can occur as a result of the development of various endocrine pathologies. Sometimes it appears in diabetes mellitus due to a disorder of the intestinal wall innervation. This condition is also accompanied by a feeling of intense thirst, increased urination, a general feeling of weakness, and in addition, problems with the sensitivity of the extremities.

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Frequent urination in a breastfed baby

Frequent urination in a breastfed baby, which occurs without pain, in some cases may be associated with chronic pathology of the urinary tract or kidneys in the mother.

Daytime urinary frequency syndrome in children

In some cases, children suddenly experience a sharp increase in daytime urination (sometimes this can happen literally every 10-15 minutes), but there are no signs of an infectious process in the urinary system or nocturia, dysuria, or daytime enuresis.

Most often, these signs appear at about 4-6 years of age, when the child has already learned to use the toilet independently. This disorder is usually observed in boys (much less often in girls).

This disorder is called pollakiuria or daytime frequency syndrome in children. It is functional, as it does not arise as a result of any anatomical defects.

Typically, these manifestations occur before the child starts going to kindergarten, or if he experiences emotional stress, which mainly develops as a result of family problems.

Such children need to be examined to rule out an infectious process in the urinary tract, and in addition, the doctor needs to make sure that the bladder is completely emptied during urination.

In some cases, this symptom can be caused by pinworms.

The disorder resolves on its own, its symptoms disappearing after 2-3 months. Treatment with anticholinergic drugs is only rarely effective.

Complications and consequences

An infectious process in the urinary tract (and frequent urination is one of the signs of the disease) is not a harmless disorder, especially if it affects not only the lower part of the system, but also the kidneys. The consequence of untreated pathology can be the death of about 80% of cells in the renal tissue, as a result of which an irreversible disorder of kidney function develops - chronic renal failure.

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Diagnostics frequent urination

If alarming symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor. First, you should visit a pediatrician to undergo an initial examination, after which he or she can send the child for a consultation with highly specialized doctors - a nephrologist, urologist, etc. After receiving the results of the examination and tests, the doctor will determine the cause of the disease and prescribe the necessary treatment.

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Tests

To make a diagnosis, some tests may be needed: general urine, as well as urine culture, as well as collecting urine for a day to check for sugar, protein or salt levels.

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Instrumental diagnostics

There are several methods of instrumental diagnostics. Quite often, ultrasound is used to determine the disease, with the help of which the kidneys and bladder are checked.

Also, nowadays, examination by means of X-ray remains relevant. The image will allow the doctor to examine in detail the location of the bladder with kidneys. This method also allows to determine the presence of malignant formations – for example, stones.

A procedure called micturition cystourethrography is also performed, during which a special contrast agent is injected into the bladder through the urethra. This should be done before the urge to urinate appears, a picture is taken, and then another one is taken at the moment when it occurs. This allows us to detect the presence of abnormalities in the bladder.

The method using renoangiography - in this case, the radiodiagnostic substance is administered intravenously, after which the moment of its passage through the renal vascular system is recorded. This allows obtaining the so-called indirect radioisotope renoangiogram. Thanks to it, it becomes possible to evaluate the work of the kidneys and the blood flow in them, and in addition to this, the urinary process inside the ureters.

Renal scintigraphy (static and dynamic forms of the procedure are performed). In this case, the patient is injected with a radiodiagnostic agent intravenously, causing radioactive radiation from the organ being examined. Graphic recording is performed using scanners or gamma cameras. These data are then processed on a computer, after which they are displayed on the screen as a dynamic or static image. This method makes it possible to assess the shape, size and location of the kidneys, and in addition to this, to detect the presence of any formation in the kidney (for example, a tumor or cyst).

Cystoscopy, which uses a special optical device - a cystoscope. After inserting this device into the bladder through the urethra, it becomes possible to examine it from the inside. This allows you to assess the condition of the mucous membrane, examine the mouths of the ureters, and also assess other aspects - the presence of tumors, stones, various foreign bodies.

Treatment frequent urination

Since frequent urination can be a symptom of a very serious disease, qualified methods must be used to treat it. Most pathologies, except for urethritis or cystitis (in these cases, outpatient treatment under the supervision of the attending physician is permitted), must be treated in a hospital setting - these are diseases such as newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus, pyelonephritis, etc. This allows for a full examination of the patient and constant monitoring of health.

Treatment must be carried out in accordance with the diagnosis, because this disorder cannot be eliminated without addressing the underlying cause of its occurrence.

Medicines

Anticholinergic drugs are usually prescribed for treatment, but other drugs may also be used. In general, specific drugs should be selected exclusively by a doctor. There are a large number of drugs used to treat the disorder, depending on its cause:

• in case of an inflammatory process in the urinary tract, antibiotics with uroseptics are prescribed;
• for the treatment of diabetes mellitus – regular administration of insulin to the patient;
• in the development of glomerulonephritis it is necessary to use cytostatics, hormones, etc.;
• To eliminate lazy bladder syndrome, complex treatment is used - physiotherapy, as well as atropine with driptan and nootropic drugs (such as picamilon, etc.);
• In case of neurosis development, sedatives are prescribed.

Antibiotics for Frequent Urination in Children

If an infectious inflammation is diagnosed, the patient is prescribed antibiotics. Children can only take gentle antibiotics, as well as herbal medicines - this is necessary to minimize the possibility of side effects. It should be taken into account that it is very important to take a full course, even if the child's condition improves before its completion.

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Physiotherapy treatment

In case of development of inflammatory pathologies, the following physiotherapeutic treatment procedures have a qualitative effect:

• electrophoresis, and also stimulation;
• HBO procedure;
• carrying out heat treatments;
• use of laser therapy;
• ultrasound with amplipulse;
• diadynamic therapy procedure, etc.

Folk remedies

Among the methods of traditional treatment, the following can be distinguished:

You can make a tea from cherry stems and dried corn hair. It is recommended to take it as often as possible to speed up recovery.

Another way is birch bud tea. For 1 glass of boiled water you need 1 teaspoon of the ingredient. The medicine should be infused for about 2 hours. You need to drink the tincture 3 times a day, 0.5 glasses.

Using the same method, you can brew a decoction of centaury and St. John's wort herbs (these ingredients should be added in equal quantities), and then drink it instead of tea.

Tea is also brewed from black poplar buds (2 tablespoons of the component are needed for 0.5 l of boiled water). The tea should be drunk before breakfast (i.e. on an empty stomach) in a dosage of 100 ml.

Frequent urination can be treated with a mint decoction. To prepare it, you need dry chopped mint (20 g), which is added to boiling water (1.5 l), and then boiled for about 10 minutes more. This decoction should be drunk in a dosage of 1 glass 3 times a day.

A decoction of chopped elecampane roots is considered very effective. For 1 glass of boiled water, you need 2 tablespoons of the herb. Then boil the liquid over low heat for about 25 minutes and then leave to infuse for 4 hours. The tincture must be filtered before use.

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Herbal treatment

Herbal decoctions (using corn silk and bearberry) help treat the disease. They should be brewed and then infused in a thermos.

Rosehip decoction works well. The berries need to be boiled for 7-10 minutes and then infused.

In addition, ready-made herbal preparations used for urolithiasis, urethritis, cystitis, and pyelonephritis can be purchased in pharmacies.

Surgical treatment

If the disorder is associated with a disorder of the central nervous system function, surgical treatment may be prescribed.

Prevention

In order to prevent the development of diseases, prevention is needed. To do this, you should regularly take your child to see a doctor. Children under 1 year old need to be examined monthly. Children aged 1-3 years need to be taken for examination every 2-3 months, and children from 3 years old - once every 5 months.

A preventive measure against cystitis and other diseases is to prevent the child from becoming overcooled. Do not let him sit on a cold surface (for example, damp ground). Breastfed babies should be breastfed for as long as possible, because bacteria do not get into the genitourinary system of such babies.

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Forecast

Frequent urination in a child often develops as a result of a disease of the genitourinary system. Other serious pathologies may also be provoking factors. Therefore, it is necessary to approach the elimination of this problem responsibly - take the child to the doctor in a timely manner and begin the necessary treatment. In this case, the prognosis will be favorable. Otherwise, serious complications may develop.

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