Infrequent Urination in Children
Does your child go to the bathroom less often than other children? Some children urinate infrequently; this is also known as voiding dysfunction. A child who urinates infrequently may have a medical condition, behavioral issues, or simply not be taking in enough fluids.
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Causes
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Causes of infrequent urination may include urinary tract infection, acute renal failure, chronic kidney disease, dehydration, and diarrhea. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some children avoid urinating because of poor toilet habits, being too busy to drink fluids, fear of the toileting process, psychological stressors, or emotional stressors.
Symptoms
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Additional symptoms which may accompany infrequent urination include breathing difficulty, muscle weakness, behavior problems, fatigue, delirium, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, and painful urination. According to Wrong Diagnosis.com, combined symptoms may be cause for concern for various diagnoses.
Treatment
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The primary doctor may refer the child to a pediatric urologist, pediatric nephrologist, or a behavioral psychologist. Treatments may include correction of dehydration such as intravenous fluids and an increase of fluid intake, medications according to diagnosis, or possible behavioral therapy techniques to help avoidance issues.
Tests
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To find underlying problems, your child's doctor may perform tests including renal and bladder ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, of the lower spine, a voiding cystourethrogram, or a radionuclide cystogram. The doctor will take a medical history and might recommend that the child undergo a psychological evaluation.
Considerations
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Urinary tract infection occurs in three percent of children each year, according to the Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Since urinary tract infection is painful, children may avoid urinating. Long-term effects of urinary tract infection can include kidney scars, poor kidney growth, poor kidney function, and high blood pressure.
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Final height refers to the adult height a child may grow into. Parents calculate this number to have a rough estimate as to how tall their child will be. This formula is not 100 percent accurate, as genetics and health play important roles in a child
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Teach your child about weights and measures by using familiar items such as groceries, cell phones and grapes. Let him do a little hands-on experimentation, and have paper and pencil ready for him to record his findings. Find an entertaining book or