The urinary tract is the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
The kidneys filter and remove waste and water from the blood to produce urine. The urine travels from the kidneys down 2 narrow tubes called the ureters. The urine is then stored in the bladder.
When your child does a wee, urine flows out of the body through the urethra, a tube at the bottom of the bladder. The opening of the urethra is at the end of the penis in boys and in front of the vagina in girls.
Front and side view of the female urinary tract
Front and side view of the male urinary tract
A UTI (urinary tract infection) is an infection in the urine (wee). It usually starts in the bladder and sometimes affects the kidneys.
A UTI usually develops when germs (bacteria) from the poo, which are on the skin, get into the urethra and into the bladder. This can happen to any baby or child and is not due to poor hygiene.
UTIs are common. They are most common in pēpi under the age of 12 months but can affect tamariki of any age.
There are some conditions which put pēpi and tamariki at higher risk of UTIs:
Tamariki with a UTI may have the following symptoms:
If you think your child has a UTI, see your GP or after hours medical centre.
Pēpi and young tamariki can't tell you about their discomfort when doing a wee and you may not notice them going more frequently. Signs of a UTI in pēpi and young tamariki can include:
If you think your baby or child has a UTI, see your GP or after hours medical centre.
Sometimes a simple UTI can become more serious in young pēpi or tamariki when the infection spreads to involve the kidneys, or spreads into the blood stream.
Signs of this can include:
See your GP or after-hours medical centre urgently.
Testing your child's urine is the only way to know for sure if they have a UTI. Your family doctor can arrange a urine test for your child.
Check KidsHealth's information about urine tests [1].
Antibiotics are the main treatment for UTIs. Treatment is usually for 3 to 7 days. This depends on several factors, including how unwell your child is and whether they have underlying kidney problems.
Your child's symptoms should start to improve after 48 hours of antibiotic treatment.
Encouraging your child to drink more fluid may help.
You can give pain relief (paracetamol) if your child is in discomfort. You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose.
The following pēpi and tamariki with a UTI usually need to go to hospital to see if they need intravenous antibiotics (given directly into a vein):
If your baby has had a UTI and is under 12 months of age, they may need further tests.
The most common investigation is a renal ultrasound. This is to find out if there are any blockages and to check if the kidneys are normal in shape, size and position.
Check KidsHealth's information about renal ultrasounds [2].
A small number of pēpi and tamariki may need an MCU (micturating cysto-urethrogram) or a nuclear medicine scan.
A specialist at the hospital needs to request these tests.
Check KidsHealth's information about MCU (micturating cysto-urethrogram) [3].
See KidsHealth's information about nuclear medicine scans [4].
Parents often want to know what they can do to prevent UTIs. Not all UTIs can be prevented, but here are some suggestions that may help some tamariki.
Treat any constipation
Tamariki who have constipation are at higher risk of developing a UTI.
Find out about constipation [5].
Encourage good toilet habits
Encourage your child to go to the toilet regularly when they feel the need. Tamariki who hold on a long time are more at risk of UTIs.
Encourage your child to sit properly on the toilet with their feet on a stool so that they empty their bladder completely.
Teach girls to wipe their bottoms from front to back rather than back to front. This reduces the spread of germs from the bowel to the opening of the urethra.
Drink enough water
Make sure your child drinks plenty of water with meals, and during hot weather.
Studies of UTI in boys
There is a suggestion in studies of UTI in boys that circumcision might slightly reduce the incidence of UTI. But the benefit is small. Most specialists would not recommend circumcision for this reason unless there are repeated UTIs which are causing major health problems.
Try to avoid anything that may cause irritation to your child's bottom:
Illustrations by Dr Greta File. Property of KidsHealth.
This page last reviewed 10 July 2023.
Email us [6] your feedback
Links
[1] https://kidshealth.org.nz/urine-tests
[2] https://kidshealth.org.nz/renal-ultrasound
[3] https://kidshealth.org.nz/micturating-cysto-urethrogram-mcu
[4] https://kidshealth.org.nz/nuclear-medicine-kidney-scans
[5] https://kidshealth.org.nz/constipation
[6] https://kidshealth.org.nz/contact?from=http%3A%2F%2Fkidshealth.org.nz%2Fprint%2F244%3Flanguage%3Den