Hematuria in Children

As a parent, the most important thing in your life is your child's health. One is alarmed when one observes blood in urine in children. It is not a very common sight to observe red blood cells in urine. However, presence of blood in the urine is called hematuria. Hematuria in children is a very common condition that can be treated easily. Let us have a look at some details on hematuria in children and try to know more about this condition.

Types of Hematuria in Children
Hematuria is presence of blood in urine. There are two types of hematuria in children. These include microscopic hematuria and macroscopic hematuria. The microscopic hematuria occurs when an abnormal amount of red blood cells is present in the urine. However, these blood cells are not so high in number that they can be detected visually in the urine. Macroscopic hematuria, also called gross hematuria occurs when there is really high number of red blood cells in the urine that changes the color of the urine from yellow to pink, brown or red. It is very normal to observe red blood cells in urine. This is because in a normal person, there are about 2.5 million red blood cells excreted every day. However, when the number exceeds the normal levels, one observes hematuria.

Causes of Hematuria in Children
There can be many hematuria causes in children. Some of the common conditions causing hematuria in children include:

• Bladder infection
• Kidney infection
• Kidney stones
• Trauma to kidney after falling down off bike, etc.
• Kidney diseases
• Genetic disorders
• Idiopathic hematuria (unknown causes)

Symptoms of Hematuria in Children

Generally, one observes cases of asymptomatic hematuria in children. This is because not all children develop any symptoms. The most common symptom of hematuria in children is gross hematuria, or visible red blood cells in urine. Other common symptoms include recurrent urinary tract infection, increase in frequency to urine and burning sensation while urinating. Painless hematuria in children has no other symptoms besides red urine. However, if kidney stones are the main reason for hematuria, the child may experience pain when the stone passes through his urinary tract. However, one should not take asymptomatic hematuria in children lightly and get the child evaluated for further treatment.

Evaluation of Hematuria in Children
Painless hematuria in children is detected after the child shows symptoms of urinary infection. Evaluation of hematuria in children is carried out by observing the urine under a microscope. This will help the doctor detect presence of bacteria and red blood cells in urine. Further evaluation will also help detect presence of pus cells that may indicate infection. This testing and evaluation of hematuria is called urinalysis.

Evaluation of hematuria in children not only includes microscopic detection, but also checking of complete medical history and physical examination of the child. When the nature of hematuria is understood, other tests include cystoscopy, X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound sonography, etc.

Treatment of Hematuria in Children
The treatment of hematuria in children depends upon the cause. If the child suffers from kidney stones, then the treatment involves removal of stones. A urinary infection is treated with antibiotics to get rid of hematuria. In most cases, hematuria is self-limiting and tends to resolve on its own without specific therapy.

This was all about painless hematuria in children. If you observe blood in urine in children, do not panic. Take you child to a child specialist, who will detect the underlying cause. In most cases, the condition is fully treatable. However, any leniency on your part may turn an asymptomatic hematuria in children into a major health concern. For any further information, speak to your health care provider for more details.