Hematuria

Hematuria means “blood in the urine.” And while seeing blood in your child’s urine can certainly be alarming, in most cases it is not serious and is easy to treat.

Hematuria generally fits into one of two categories:

• Microscopic hematuria: There is not enough blood in the urine to see with the naked eye. It is only visible through a laboratory test.
• Macroscopic hematuria: The amount of blood is enough to change the color of the urine to pink, red or brown. Only a tiny bit of blood is needed to change the urine color.

Causes of Hematuria

There are more than 50 potential causes of hematuria in children. Not all involve the urinary tract, but those that do include:

• Urinary tract infection
• Vesicoureteral reflux
• Kidney or urinary tract stones
• Large amounts of calcium in the urine (hypercalciuria)
• Injury to the urinary tract
• Kidney or bladder disease
• Urinary tract obstruction
• Abnormalities in the vessels (vascular anomalies)

Symptoms of Hematuria

Some conditions that cause hematuria, such as urinary tract infection or kidney stones, may cause other symptoms. A child may complain of:

• Pain or burning when urinating
• Frequently or urgently needing to urinate but producing little or no urine

Other causes of hematuria may not have any symptoms.

Treating Hematuria in Children

If your see blood in your child’s urine, or they have symptoms of urinary problems, call your Mercy Kids pediatrician. If blood isn’t visible, we can test the urine to look for it, and do other tests if needed to determine if there is a problem and how to treat it.

• Simple urinary tract infections can be treated with antibiotics.
• Urinary stones can be removed.

Should the cause require more extensive treatment, our pediatric urologists and collaborating nephrologists will work with you to develop an appropriate treatment plan based on your child’s individual needs.

Our pediatric urologists at Mercy Kids diagnose and treat many kids with hematuria using the most effective techniques and a compassionate touch. We’re here to keep your youngest family members healthy and well.