Paediatric Urology

Dr. Oriol Martín Solé · Information for families

Lower urinary tract conditions in children

The lower urinary tract includes the bladder and urethra. These conditions can affect urine storage, control or outflow.

Understanding the lower urinary tract

7 conditions
A bladder with multiple large, prominent droplets below the urethral outlet representing involuntary urine leakage.

Urinary incontinence

Involuntary urine leakage that may have different causes and occur during the day or at night.

A bladder with multiple large, clearly visible urine droplets and a moon representing wetting during sleep.

Enuresis

Involuntary wetting during sleep from the age of five years.

Posterior urethral valves diagram showing the obstructing membrane, dilated proximal urethra, thick-walled bladder and dilated upper urinary tract.

Posterior urethral valves

Congenital membranes in the posterior urethra of boys that obstruct urine flow and may damage the bladder and kidneys.

A smaller bladder, urgency lightning symbols on both sides and multiple prominent droplets representing urine leakage.

Overactive bladder

A sudden, intense urge to urinate (urinary urgency), often with frequent urination and possible urine leakage.

The urinary tract and a pink urine sample, with a symbolic magnified view of red blood cells; bleeding may originate anywhere in the urinary tract.

Haematuria

Blood in the urine, which may be visible to the eye or detected only on a urine test, and can have different causes.

Recognisable lumbar vertebrae and sacrum, interrupted nerve signals and an example of a small, pear-shaped, multidiverticular bladder.

Neurogenic bladder

Impaired bladder nerve control, usually due to spina bifida in children, but also caused by spinal cord injury or tumour compression.

The urinary tract with a symbolic bacterial inset and a thermometer at 39 °C representing possible infection-related fever.

Urinary tract infection

Infections of the urinary tract, usually caused by bacteria, that may affect the bladder or kidneys.

These anatomical and functional diagrams are illustrative examples and do not represent every variation.

Further reading
All conditions