Symptoms and Causes of Blood in Urine in Children

Some blood cells in urine in children may be due to many factors. It is usually harmless but, if it occurs frequently, the doctor must be consulted immediately. RBC (Red Blood Cells) can be found in urine up to a certain count, which causes nothing to worry. But excessive RBC in urine is an alarm for some serious health issue.

Kidney diseases can be confirmed after the blood or kidney test. Medically, it is called hematuria in children and is of two types microscopic hematuria and macroscopic hermaturia. Microscopic can give abnormal count of red blood cells which may be seen with naked eyes and the macroscopic shows enough amount of blood cells to cause change in the color of the blood from red to pink or brown.

Causes of blood in urine in children

Main causes of blood in urine in children are infection in kidney, hypercalciuria, urine tract infections, blockage in the urine, inflammation in kidney, high fever, tuberculosis of renal, disease of sickle cells, gentiourinary tumors ailment, ureteropelvic junction problem, urolithiasis, bladder (also called urinary tract) or kidney infections, kidney stones, irritation of the urethra (the area where the urine exits the body), trauma (for example, after falling off a bike and bruising a kidney), vigorous exercise, vascular abnormality.

Symptoms of RBC in urine

There are symptoms of specific disease in this problem which should be consulted with the doctor immediately. Urine infection can cause the person to feel frequent urge to urinate and burning sensation during the urination. Renal colic pain may be felt due to kidney stones. There may not be many symptoms except the presence of urine in the blood. Children with bladder infection may feel fever, irritation, lower belly pain, urgency and feeding poorly. Kidney infection can cause fever, chills and flank pain. Kidney disease can bring weakness, high blood pressure and puffiness around the eyes, joint swelling, abdominal pain, pale skin, rashes and seizures.

Home treatments and Precautions

• Give the child low sodium diet and more liquid to decrease the risk of kidney stones. The amount of urine that flow through the kidneys and ureter can lower the concentration of substances which may form stones.
• Calcium and vitamin-D supplements may be avoided to prevent stone formation.
• Increase the amount of potassium rich foods which is available from fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Children are advised to avoid high levels of oxalate like beet, turnip green, strawberry, star fruit, sweet potatoes, wheat bran, tea, cocoa, pepper, chocolate, parsleys, spinach, dill, nuts, citrus juices.
• Children with low level of citrate in urine are given medication to increase citrate levels.
• Urinary tract disease may develop in children, the treatment should be taken at the earliest to avoid complication later on.
• Medications must be advised if the stones level is not decreased.