UTI In Toddler Boy?

Updated on May 01, 2008
L.D. asks from Sidney, OH
28 answers

For a week, my 3 year old (who has been potty trained since January) has been crying because he all of the sudden needs help to go pee. He hasn't said it hurts but he is holding himself like he always has to go. When I tell him to go potty, he cries and says he doesn't have to. When he finally does go, he won't do it unless I am right there with him. Anyhow, my mom had him Monday and said he went pee 12 times in one day, a little at a time. My in-laws had him today and said he was constantly on the potty. Anyhow, no fever, no funny odor (that I have noticed), no apparent pain or burning but he DOES seem to be afraid to go.
I have never had one so I don't know what they feel like, nor has my daughter so I am not really familiar with the symptoms. Do boys get UTIs and is this what it sounds like?
Thanks in advance for any helpful advice or experience!

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much for all the great advice. His urinalysis (culture isn't completed yet) came back fine. I talked to the doctor yesterday and we are going with the constipation diagnosis. I wouldn't have known to bring up the constipation with him if it hadn't been for a couple of you. We're also thinking it could be why my 8 year old still wets the bed. I would never have linked the two problems but it makes complete sense. Thanks so much!

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P.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

Hi L., I am grandma of 4 mother of 2 could easily be kidney infection. Would take him to Dr..I have had kidney stones several times and it is horrible. Friend daughter had a stone at nine months , poor baby was tested for several days before they found them in her. P.

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L.P.

answers from Cleveland on

Yes, toddler boys can and do get bladder infections. My son did at the same age. My grandson was also diagnosed as a "nervous piddler" at about the same age. He had to go all the time, just a bit at a time. He got over it quickly after it was determed there was no medical problem. As a mom of two boys and grandma of three kids, I say take him to be seen. Better safe than sorry! I, myself, have have two bladder infections this year already, after many years without a problem.

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M.F.

answers from Indianapolis on

My 6 year old had a similar problem and it ended up being constipation(sounds weird, right??). Anyway, after taking my son to the doctor, he suggested trying (I think it was metamucil) first to see if the problem went away. I then realized that I hadn't been very good about getting him fruits and veggies and I couldn't remember the last time he pooped!! So, I corrected his diet and everything is better now. My husband and I think this might be related to him wetting the bed too. Hope this helps. Oh- also- the doctor did do a quick and simple urine test to make sure it wasn't and infection.

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A.B.

answers from Indianapolis on

Last year my son then 3 had the problem of wanting to go pee all the time. He would have just gone but said he had to go constantly. It was only a little at the time but it drove me nuts so I took him to the doctors office as I wondered if he had a UTI. He didnt have it but it turned out to be due to constipation. He was pooping everyday or every other day but apparently it was a little harder so he maybe he was pressing too much. Anyway, the doctor told me to start him on a course of Miralax for a few months and sure enough it worked. It has been almost 11 months now and he hasn't had that complaint since. You definitely have to get it checked out.

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J.M.

answers from Terre Haute on

Yes, it is possible for anyone to get uti. Get him to the
dr. Asap.

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M.W.

answers from Columbus on

Hello. Yes boys and men can get UTI. There seems to be a misconception that UTI's only happen to women.
I use to work in a dr's office and there were several boys/men that had these same type symptoms and sure enough, it was infact it was some type of urinary tract infection.
I would try some cranberry juice and plenty of water, and then maybe a trip to the doc if the symptoms still persist, may need treated with an antibiotic.
Good Luck!

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T.S.

answers from Columbus on

Hi there, I have not had any problems with my children, however I personally have kidney problems. In a UTI, you will have a frequency to go and usually burning during urination. I know that when I pass kidney stones though, I only have the feeling that I need to go all the time and it hurts really bad, but not burn when I go. The best thing to do would be to check with your child's doctor. You do not want to let it go if it is his kidneys. I am not even sure if children can get these kinds of problems this early, but it is better to be safe than sorry. I wish you luck. God bless! T.

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T.M.

answers from Dayton on

Trust me, they can be very painful! It's a simple test at the dr.'s office, they'll just take a urine sample (so pump him with fluids so he can 'go' while you're there). They should test it right there for you and be able to treat it immediately and also send it away as well to determine what bacteria it is (if it is a UTI). Ironically that's why I'm up now, I woke up 4 hours ago having to go and I have a lot of blood in my urine. I could not go back to sleep with the stinging pain, and will be at the dr's as soon as they open. (I know I'm not the norm, cause when I get one I have very little to no discomfort till I have blood in my urine) Please have your little guy checked out, if this is what he has, it is miserable!

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S.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

As a person who used to get them at least once a year I can say that they don't necessarily burn. It could be a mild one and the only symptom I had sometimes was the urge to go all the time. It was a pain!! I simple urine check at the doctor's office will tell you if he really has one. If he does, they will probably perscribe some antibiotics for a week or so and that should get rid of it. If he dosen't have one, I don't know else it could be but maybe he is worried about something. I used to be a worrier when I was younger (it could have been over the littlest thing)and your body can respond in weird ways!! You never know what is going on in little heads! If he is anything like my daughter I have to guess sometimes what is wrong if she is upset about something because she won't tell me!!! Good luck.

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P.A.

answers from Youngstown on

Yes boys do get UTI, so go see a pediatric urologist. They cann dipstick the urine, but make sure they send it out for culture as well. And for Heather who mentioned the test, it's called a VCUG. My daughter had that test 5 or 6 times...

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R.W.

answers from Toledo on

My oldest son, who is now 15, had a similar problem when he was 3. He was constantly going to the bathroom. I took him to our pcp and he tested his urine and said that he had pyuria (pus in his urine). Not knowing how he had gotten it, he was then sent to a urologist. Antibiotics did not help and he ultimately had to have a cystoscopy (surgery on the bladder) done. What he needed was to have his urethra dilated or opened. There was nothing wrong with his bladder. He also did not complain that it hurt him to go to the bathroon but he did go a lot. Not sure if this helps but it can be a common problem with boys.

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D.I.

answers from South Bend on

Yes boys can get uti's. I would have him checked out. I have had a uti before but I had no clue because I had no odor or pain only a little blood in my urine. It is wise to have this checked out and see if it is a uti or something else. My uti that I had also did not burn either so I had no idea I even had one. He could also possibly have a bladder infection. Take him to the doc. asap and they will give him some antibiotics. If your doc. office has a lab they may be able to do the test right there and find out what type of infection he has should he have one.
D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.

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T.M.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi L.,
Yes, boys can get UTI's. My husband had one when he was a child.

My daughter also had one when she was only 3 months. Her breathing was 120 breaths per minute when it should've only been in the 30/40's. Her doctor told us to take her to the hospital right away. They ran several tests and finally tested her urine and found out she had a double bladder infection meaning she had two different types of bacteria to be treated. She spent four days in the hospital to make sure her breathing was going down and it did. But, we also ended up going to a Lung Doctor because her breathing still remained slightly higher than it should've been. She eventually outgrew the fast breathing...It was all very scary. I'm sure your son's body wouldn't respond to it like this...she was very tiny.

When she was older, they also did a simple test to make sure her bladder was emptying like it should and not backing up into her kidney's. Everything was fine.

However, anytime she complains when she goes potty, I call the doctor and get her in ASAP since she already had one at a very young age. She used to be catherized when they thought she had one...that is a cleaner urine catch but very painful to watch them go through. Now that she is older she can go potty in a cup with no problems. :)

I'd rather take her and have her give a urine sample and be told it's negative than not take her and she actually have an infection that can be treated with an antibiotic.

I would feel very bad if she ended up in pain and I didn't do anything about it.

My son is now 18 months and a few months ago he cried when he went potty. I called the doctor and they said to bring him in (because you never know). We tried to take a urine sample using a bag that goes over the pee-pee area. But, he wouldn't go. So, they gave me a cup and told me I could try to get it from home. Before his bath when he would always potty I held the cup up and got the urine sample with no trouble. I took it in to the doctor and it was negative.
Again, I would rather be safe than sorry.

I've had plenty of UTI's in the past. Some REALLY burn and others I've caught before the burning started. But, either way, they ARE NOT FUN!!!!

If I were you I would take him in just to be safe. :)

Good luck!
I hope he feels better soon!
T.

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D.K.

answers from Indianapolis on

Cranberry juice (excellent for urinary tract), and yogurt which contains friendly bacteria. STAY OFF SUGAR!! Stay off all the juices that contain corn syrup and make sure they are NATURAL (100% juice sources). If need be, combine the cranberry with another natural juice, if he doesn't like it. Cranberry orange is a great combination and you might try grape cranberry.

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D.L.

answers from Canton on

By all means have him checked by your Dr. Boys can have UTI's but have trouble explaining how it feels. Even if it isn't a UTI it is safer to check and know for sure. Hope all is well . Blessing to you. D.

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B.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

Yes boys do get uti's. Ny nephew is just getting over one. He turned 4 this this past week. Don't wait take him to the doctors. It took my nephew getting a 05 degree temp before my step brother had to take him to the hospital. Sometimes there are no signs than the frequent peeing. I grew up getting uti's all the time with out even knowing. Hope this helps!

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A.D.

answers from Columbus on

Yes you should get him checked. Boys can get UTI's He also could have a problem in the tubes that drain from the kidneys to the bladder. My daughter kept getting UTI's they finally did a nasty test called a cathider and discovered it. Two surgerys later and she is fine/. Now this does not mean that your son has this disorder. It was a birth defect that was discovered late for my daughter. But if he keeps getting the UTI make sure you have him tested for this. My daughters wasn't discovered until she was 5 years old. Good Luck and God Bless you and your son.

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L.K.

answers from Columbus on

yes boys can get them and yes it does sound like he might have one you should have it checked out just to be on the safe side he could be feeling preasure not pain

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C.E.

answers from Columbus on

Get him checked. I have had several UTI's and when I get them, I have the urge to go, but when I try only a little comes out and then it's like a clamp shuts it off but I still have the urge. So then I constantly feel like I need to go, but can't get it all out, so it is very frustrating. If he does have a UTI, they can give him some meds and he will have relief very soon. Good luck!

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M.B.

answers from Lima on

Boys do not normally get UTI's. He probably is scared but if he doesn't quit soon I'd get it checked out. My peace of mind was always worth a doctor's visit.

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P.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

Yes, boys can get UTI's. They can also get blockages. I would make an appt and get him into see a doctor ASAP.

UTI's cause the constant urge to go to the bathroom but very little urine actually leaves the body so the urge to go persits. It also burns and stings when you do go. It can get bad enough to cause blood in the urine from the irratated tubes and tissue which leads to back ache etc. There is seldom a fever with a UTI.

P. R

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S.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

I'm shocked no one else has already mentioned what I'm about to tell you. It's always a possibility that he could have a UTI or bladder infection, but with no pain or anything I would doubt it.
My 3 year old niece has the same thing your son does. She was going potty a million times a day, and only a little bit at a time. My sister took her to the doctor and they said she has something called Little Big Girl Syndrome (I guess in your case it would be Little Big Boy Syndrome). All her tests for a UTI or bladder infection were normal. The doctor explained that it's very common, and when the child goes potty they are just simply not emptying their bladder completely which explains the small amount of urine a million times a day. We just encourage my niece when she goes potty to squeeze it all out so we don't have to go again in a few minutes. I would love to tell you she's doing better, but she's still the same after several months. I think it's something they just have to grow out of. Hope this info. helps! It sounds like your 3 year old son has exactly what my 3 year old niece has.

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R.H.

answers from Bloomington on

My son also had this problem. There are a few things that it could be. Does he like to take bubble baths all the time? It could be an irritation from taking bubble baths. That was my son's problem. He has to take less bubble baths and if he does, not as much bubble solution. Also the play foams and coloring products for the bath tub can also cause the same irritations. Secondly, watch how he urinates. If it sprays everywhere instead of a strong stream there is a condition that small boys can get and should be taken to a doctor. Or it could be the beginnings of a UTI. Either way check with a doctor.

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L.G.

answers from Lima on

I recently had a different type of urinary infection, it involved the muscles more than the urine itself. I believe boys can get this too.
When I would go to urinate, the muscles would contract and I would feel like I was being squeezed down there beyond my control. It was really weird feeling, I would't 100% call it painful, just really weird feeling. A little medicine (which colored the urine) and it cleared in just a couple days.

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D.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

It is very unusual, but boys DO get UTI's. My older son had 3 of them while growing up; 1 as an 8-month-old, 1 when he was in Kindgergarten, and one in fifth grade. He's 21 now, and hasn't had one since.
I will say that he had a fever each time, and required antibiotics to get well. I don't recall a smell, but it's been a long time since then. The third time, they did run some tests to make sure his bladder was normal, and they showed that everything was fine.
Please talk with your doctor TODAY, because it sounds like there could be a problem a-brewing. Good luck!

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K.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

Boys can get UTI's they just aren't as common, but that is how my mom said I acted when I had them. I would only pee a little at a time and was afraid to go and had accidents. Never did I really complain of pain until I was 5 or 6. I just cried and wouldn't go or went a little at a time. I would get him checked out!

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H.K.

answers from Lafayette on

Yes boys can get them and yes they are much less common. As a matter of fact, my oldest son had one when he was 4. The pediatrician was concerned that there might be a deformity since this is so common. She said that many times if a boy gets a UTI there is either a deformity or he has been molested. She asked if he had been in the care of anyone that we might suspect, and since that wasn't the case (we were new to the area and didn't leave him with any sitters as we knew no one), she feared there was deformity. He had to have a test done that isn't painful but was emotionally uncomfortable for him. I wish I could remember the name. It involved him drinking a dye and being catheterized and laying on a table with an x-ray above him. They checked everything out with a full bladder (and dye) and then had him pee lying there on the table with everyone around. This was so hard for him as he was old enough he didn't have accidents anymore so to pee lying down was hard (not to mention with everyone there). Luckily they found nothing wrong and he's been fine ever since.
Now for the helpful advice, have your son drink lots of water and cranberry juice. Avoid sugary drinks and caffeine as they make it worse! You should do this now until he sees a dr.
Good luck!

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H.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

It's unusual, but possible. They can do a pretty quick assessment at the Pediatrician's office with a urine sample.

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