Blood in a child's urine

March 27, 2020

Blood in the urine is usually a symptom of urinary tract disease. Hematuria may appear as pink, red, or brown in the urine. There is also microscopic hematuria, where the amount of blood is determined only in the laboratory.

The condition can be asymptomatic or accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen and disorders of the genitourinary system. It is important to know that this symptom may indicate a serious pathology, so you need to make an appointment with a competent doctor as soon as possible. The State Urology Center is the place where the best specialists in the capital work. Here you can undergo a comprehensive examination and treatment.

Why is there blood in urine?

The causes of blood in urine can be very different. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo additional examinations. In some cases, red urine may be caused by certain foods and medications. Such changes are provided by rhubarb, beets, and berries; medications include cascara, phenazopyridine, rifampin and others.

Normally, blood cells should not be found in urine; their identification indicates various pathologies.

• Urinary tract infections. The condition may be accompanied by general discomfort, foreign discharge, and increased urination. This factor is a common cause of blood in the urine in older women. .
• Stones in the kidneys and bladder. Urolithiasis quite often provokes hematuria. This is due to the fact that crystals passing through the urinary tract can damage them and cause microscopic bleeding. As a rule, the condition is accompanied by severe pain.
• Kidney infection or pyelonephritis. It is caused by an infectious agent and is accompanied by side pain and fever.
• Prostate pathology. An enlarged gland, adenoma or prostate cancer are common causes of blood in the urine in men. Pathologies interfere with the normal flow of fluid and are accompanied by difficulty urinating and frequent urge.
• Kidney pathology. Impaired filtration and bleeding are symptoms of glomerulonephritis. It can be either a concomitant disease or occur on its own due to infectious or autoimmune disorders.
• Oncological changes in tissues and organs. Kidney cancer and bladder cancer are two pathologies that can manifest with this particular symptom. The sooner the patient receives treatment, the higher the chances of recovery. That is why it is so important to urgently undergo a comprehensive examination and obtain an adequate diagnosis.
• Kidney injury. A blow or bruise from a fall or accident can cause tissue damage and be accompanied by bleeding.
• Hereditary diseases. In particular, sickle cell anemia, which is a defect in red blood cells, often shows up as blood in the urine. The condition requires constant monitoring and medicinal correction.

Causes of hematuria in children

The fact of the presence of blood is a symptom, and not the disease itself, which can accompany various diseases. Excessive entry of red blood cells into the baby’s urine occurs when the vessels of the urinary system are damaged.

The presence of blood in the urine in children is possible as a result of:

• injuries, urinary tract infections;
• oncological diseases;
• inflammatory diseases of the kidneys or bladder;
• immunological;
• urolithiasis;
• increased calcium levels in the urine.

In general, there are more than fifty reasons that cause hematuria. The most common among those listed above is a urinary tract infection. Although pink urine does not always mean illness. Too high levels of vitamin C in the blood may contribute to a positive test for hematuria. Eating beets or taking analgin can also turn the urine pink.

Diagnostics

It is important to understand that the causes of blood in urine without pain can be serious pathologies. To detect or exclude them, you need to contact a competent specialist as soon as possible. The State Urology Center employs specialized doctors focused on optimal treatment strategies.

This problem is dealt with by a urologist; for diagnosis, he needs to collect anamnesis and identify risk factors. An initial examination of the patient is required, which allows one to detect specific symptoms. In addition, laboratory instrumental tests may be prescribed to find out why the urine contains blood:

• general urine analysis;
• general blood analysis;
• cystography;
• Ultrasound of the genitourinary system;
• urography;
• CT scan;
• MRI.

Associated symptoms

The appearance of blood in the urine of children is accompanied by other signs. Additional symptoms are as follows:

• pain during urination;
• burning, itching and discomfort in the urethra;
• urinary incontinence;
• frequent attacks of headache;
• puffiness and swelling of the face;
• increased body temperature;
• pain in the lower back.

Such symptoms may indicate the presence of various pathologies of the urinary system in a child.

When is blood in urine considered normal?

Considering that traces of blood in a child’s urine are regarded as a deviation from normal parameters, one should not forget about possible exceptions related to the age or gender of children. This is especially true for babies under one year of age, since it is difficult for an infant’s body to ensure the full functioning of all systems for some time after birth.

Gradually, it adapts to existence outside the mother’s womb, and each of the baby’s organs adapts over a certain period. This also applies to the hematopoietic system. Red blood cells formed during pregnancy lose their usefulness for the independent existence of the child. As a result, they are destroyed, making room for new red blood cells of our own production.

In this case, “unnecessary” red blood cells enter the urine, leading to jaundice or uric acid diathesis. Therefore, if tests on a baby show 6-7 red blood cells in the field of view of the microscope, then this is regarded as normal. Whereas an indicator of 10 cells or higher for a child per year is considered a reason for further tests to look for pathology.

Pediatricians do not give a definite answer to how quickly the body will adapt and blood will no longer be observed in the urine of a newborn. The well-known children's doctor Komarovsky in his programs claims that this depends on the quality of the immunity transmitted by the mother. That is why, during pregnancy, obstetricians and gynecologists strictly monitor the woman’s health, monitor her condition, recommend enriching food with vitamins and be sure to adhere to a healthy lifestyle.

At the end of the first year of life, the full development of the activity of the urinary system, as a rule, has not yet been completed. In this regard, the filtration capacity of the kidneys in children aged 1–2 years does not function at the proper level, and the membranes can allow a small portion of red blood cells to pass through. Based on this, the norm for such babies is no more than 4–5 cells.

After 2 years, the organs of the urinary system develop almost to the level of an adult and, accordingly, the quality of their work improves. Therefore, the normal indicators for a boy will be 1 cell in the field of view, and for a girl – up to 3. Any excess of these indicators will be interpreted as hematuria.

Reasons related to physiology

The causes of physiological hematuria, not caused by pathology, are most often short-lived. To be completely sure that the symptom is not dangerous, it is necessary to exclude the presence of the disease. The appearance of blood impurities in the urine, as a rule, indicates insufficient adaptation of the child’s body to certain stresses and the need for maintenance therapy.

The most common causes of physiological hematuria are:

Normal bladder ultrasound

• prolonged exposure of the child to the sun, bath or sauna;
• eating spicy, salty, pickled foods and preservatives;
• long hikes, forced marches, long-distance races;
• excessive physical exertion when playing sports;
• adverse reaction after taking medications;
• abundant consumption of citrus fruits and chocolate;
• stressful situations at home or at school.

After catheterization or cystoscopy (examination of the bladder from the inside), the presence of blood spots may be noted for the first couple of days. Most likely there is a reaction to irritation of the mucous membrane or its slightest damage, and the symptom will quickly pass. You should consult a doctor if bleeding continues for more than 2-3 days.

What is hematuria

In medical terminology, hematuria in a child means the presence of red blood cells in the urine. In newborns, a slight increase is considered normal. In other cases, a detailed diagnosis is carried out.

Problem in newborns

Why do newborns have traces of blood in their urine? This is explained by the fact that the baby gets used to new living conditions. The urinary system is imperfect. In the womb, the mother helped the baby cope with the excretion function.

The course of the baby’s adaptation period depends on the characteristics of its body. In the first month of life, the normal value of red blood cells in the urine is 5 cells per field of view. If the norm is exceeded, then pathological processes occur. What problems do newborns have?

• tumor;
• infection;
• damage to the genitourinary organs;
• kidney injury.

Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. Based on the tests, he will prescribe the necessary treatment.

Important! If the baby is calm, feels well, eats on schedule, most likely the reason is physiological.

Symptoms in infants up to one year old

If your baby pees with blood, it will be visible on the diaper. There will be isolated red spots or pink stains on it. You should consult a doctor.

True hematuria

This term is used when a large amount of blood is detected in the urine. This immediately signals the development of a disease of the internal organs. The kidneys are most often affected. There are three types:

• Blood on paper after defecation

1. Prerenal. Associated with infectious diseases, blood is released at the beginning of urination.
2. Renal. The kidneys themselves suffer. The urine is dark orange and pink in color.
3. Postrenal. The urinary canals are affected. Blood appears at the end of urination.

You should observe how the child pees and try to see at what point the blood is released. This will help make an accurate diagnosis.

The girl is crying

Blood in the urine of a newborn

Most worried parents mistake the appearance of blood in the urine of a newborn child for hematuria. But most often, increased red blood cells in the urine are a characteristic sign of uric acid infarction. Despite the scary sound of this term, it means a normal physiological process that does not require any treatment.

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The scarlet color of the baby's discharge may persist throughout the first few days of life. As a rule, this is associated with increased levels of uric acid in the blood.

In some of the most severe situations, bloody spots in the urine of newborn boys and girls appear due to infection of the urinary ducts, kidney pathologies, or as a result of severe birth injuries.

Symptoms of diseases with blood in urine

The appearance of blood in the urine is considered primarily a symptom of diseases of the urinary organs, as well as kidney damage. These may be low-quality tumors, cholelithiasis, traumatic injuries to the urethra. The fewest symptoms appear when kidney stones appear. At the same time, internal processes of inflammation in the kidneys begin to develop, which can be very difficult to recognize from the outside. Only appropriate tests can determine the appearance of blood in the patient’s urine. When kidney stones grow in the lower abdomen, cutting pains appear that do not go away over time. This is due to stones blocking the urinary tract.

In order to determine with a high degree of accuracy the diseases that manifest themselves when kidney stones are released, it is necessary to conduct a urographic examination. The process of treating kidney stones is very complex and lengthy. If the kidney stones are too large in size, only surgery can help.

Leukocytes in the blood and urine of a child

Under normal conditions, a certain amount of leukocytes should be present in the child’s blood. True, this amount should not be too large. Girls should have no more than ten leukocytes per unit of visual field, boys should have no more than seven. If this indicator is exceeded, we may be talking about the presence of an infection in the human body in the urinary tract, as well as in other organs of the genitourinary system. Deviations may be characteristic of pyelonephritis.

If the child’s mother is aware of the normal number of leukocytes in the blood, she can respond in a timely manner if this indicator changes. In almost all cases, an increase or decrease in this indicator indicates the beginning of pathological changes in the child’s body. His age is also of great importance, since depending on it, the number of blood cells in the human body constantly changes. However, all deviations from the norm are a consequence of pathology that has affected the developing child’s body. In this case, the primary task is to quickly initiate the treatment process for the child in order to stop the development of the pathological condition.

Blood and protein in a child's urine

Protein is almost always absent in the urine of an adult and a child, so even a low concentration cannot indicate the onset of a disease. The reason may be hidden either in the manifestation of allergic reactions or caused by stress endured by the body. Also, the appearance of protein can be caused by dehydration of the child’s body or hypothermia. A significant increase in the amount of protein in the body can occur when the temperature rises or a person is exposed to viral infections.

It should be noted that compared to adults, children may have a greater degree of variability in the presence of protein in the body. In other words, metabolic processes in children allow for a slight increase in the amount of protein in the blood and urine. Mostly protein in the blood may be present in newborn babies. This happens when a child is simply fed too often.

A simultaneous increase in the level of protein and blood in the child’s urine indicates the development of some painful condition. This may be a consequence of a previous infection or observed during the development of cancer. In any case, to clarify the situation, you should consult a competent doctor. A timely medical examination will help to accurately determine the cause of what is happening and avoid consequences that could become dangerous to the child’s health.

Mucus with blood in the urine of a child

The appearance of mucus in the urine may indicate the development of a pathological condition, especially if there is a large amount of mucus. Mucus may be present in small quantities in the urine, but a decrease in its total volume below a certain value can also be considered a deviation from the norm, which can be explained by the onset of inflammation in the kidneys or urethra.

If blood appears in the urine along with mucus, this may indicate the development of a certain pathology. This is typical for kidney diseases, as well as for bladder infections. In such a situation, you should not postpone visiting a doctor; the sooner the situation is taken under control, the better the outcome will be.

What to do if you see blood in your urine?

Hematuria is defined as the presence of red blood cells in the urine. It can be described as “macrohematuria,” when blood in the urine is visible to the naked eye, or “microhematuria,” when red blood cells are detected under a microscope in urine tests.

Hematuria can originate from any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate, and urethra. In many patients, during examination, serious causes leading to hematuria are not determined, but you need to know that hematuria can be a manifestation of infection, urolithiasis, and benign and malignant tumors of the urinary tract. Smoking, radiation, abuse of certain medications, severe pain, exposure to certain chemicals - all this can lead to hematuria.

Physiological causes of blood in urine

The very presence of blood in urine is called hematuria in medicine. It is considered normal after bladder catheterization, cystoscopy or surgical interventions on the abdominal organs. This primarily concerns operations to remove prostate adenoma in men, when the instrument is inserted through the urethra.

Physiological reasons also include:

• hypothermia or overheating;
• heavy physical activity;
• toxic infections (flu, rubella, tonsillitis, bronchopneumonia, etc.);
• taking the antibiotic penicillin or the anticancer drug cyclophosphomide.

If none of the above happened to you, then the causes of traces of blood in the urine may be associated with diseases that require medical attention. The pathological nature of the symptom is indicated by the presence of other symptoms:

• frequent urge to urinate;
• mucopurulent discharge from the urethra;
• difficulty urinating;
• increased body temperature;
• pain in the lower abdomen.