WHAT IS HEMATURIA?
Hematuria is the presence of blood within the urine. There are two varieties:
- Gross hematuria: when the blood is visibly noticeable within the urine. It can look pink, pink or brown and cloudy.
- Microscopic hematuria: when the blood can solely be seen below a microscope.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD HAS MICROSCOPIC HEMATURIA?
So if the blood within the urine can’t be seen, how will mother and father understand it’s there and what does it imply as soon as it’s discovered? Usually after we discover microscopic blood within the urine, one other symptom has initially introduced children to the physician’s workplace. These signs are:
- Puffiness, significantly across the eyes, fingers or ft (swelling in these areas can associate with irritation within the kidneys)
- Ache within the stomach, ache in scrotum, groin or penis for boys and ache the urethra or vagina for ladies
- Dehydration or low urine output
- Signs of an undiagnosed (UTI), which might embody ache or no ache with elevated frequency of urination and/or wetting accidents.
- Harm to the again or stomach
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
Some kids naturally have blood of their urine and it’s not a trigger for concern (however they may have to be adopted for a yr or so simply to ensure). Different children could have an underlying situation or household historical past of illness that will have to be handled.
Microscopic hematuria doesn’t normally have to be investigated in in any other case wholesome kids. Nonetheless, extra analysis is required in case your little one has had three urine assessments with microscopic hematuria over a number of months, or if different issues are occurring on the identical time, similar to:
- Hematuria with protein within the urine (might point out kidney illness)
- Hematuria together with hypertension (might point out kidney illness)
- Hematuria together with abnormalities on an ultrasound of the kidneys (kidney stones, kidney illness, swollen kidneys or cystic kidney illness)
Gross hematuria, or seen blood within the urine, normally wants an analysis extra rapidly, particularly to verify for hypertension and to make certain the kidneys are functioning usually.
It’s useful to notice if the gross hematuria occurred on the time of a chilly or flu, after a Strep an infection or damage, or was related to ache whereas urinating or different ache within the again or stomach.
For those who suspect your little one has hematuria, name your pediatrician for additional testing.