Blood in the urine, called hematuria, isn’t uncommon in children. If your child has blood in their urine, it can look pink, red, or brown. Sometimes the amount of blood in the urine is so small it can only be detected with a urine test (urinalysis).
Children can have blood in their urine for many reasons, including:
- Bladder, kidney, or urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Food dyes or certain foods
- Inherited disorders, such as sickle cell anemia or Alport syndrome
- Kidney or bladder cancer (rare)
- Kidney disease or injury
- Kidney stones
- Medicines, such as penicillin or over-the-counter pain medicines
- Strenuous exercise
Often, blood in your child’s urine isn’t anything serious, but it’s important to talk to your pediatrician to get it checked out.
University of Miami Health System pediatric specialists are well-equipped to diagnose and treat conditions that can cause hematuria. Our doctors work as a team to give your child comprehensive care and personalized attention.
Tests
Physical Exam
Your child’s doctor gathers a health history and does a physical exam to help discover what’s causing blood in your child’s urine.
Urine Tests (Urinalysis)
Urine tests check for blood in the urine and look for signs of a urinary tract infection. A urinalysis can also check for minerals that cause kidney stones.
Imaging Tests
Your child’s doctor may order an imaging test to help with diagnosis, such as an ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treatments
Antibiotic Medicines
If the bleeding is caused by a bladder, kidney, or urinary tract infection, your child’s doctor will prescribe antibiotics to help clear up the infection.
Lithotripsy
If kidney stones are causing the hematuria, your child may receive lithotripsy, also called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ESWL. This noninvasive therapy uses shock waves to break up stones into small pieces that can be passed through the urine.
Why Choose UHealth?
Recognized for excellence in treating kidney conditions. We’ve been recognized for our expertise in dealing with acute renal replacement therapies in young children and infants, as well as the management of severe urinary tract obstruction in developing fetuses and in newborns. We work closely with our highly skilled pediatric urology team to deliver comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for your child.
In 2016, the state of Florida renewed our designation as a Comprehensive Chronic Kidney Failure Center (CCKFC). We are one of only three such centers in the state. Our program has consistently ranked among the nation’s top pediatric nephrology programs for the past nine years by U.S. News & World Report. We’re proud to have received the best rank in the state of Florida.
Pediatric Dialysis Unit provides kid-friendly care. Our Pediatric Dialysis Unit is one of the largest in the nation solely dedicated to children. We have eight hemodialysis stations, and our highly skilled nursing staff provides more than 3,000 treatments a year. Our pediatric nephrologists monitor each child to ensure they’re responding well to dialysis treatment, and we hold monthly multidisciplinary patient reviews in accordance with national guidelines. We also help connect children and families with essential psychosocial support during their treatment.
Pair Donor Exchange Program for kidney transplant. If your child needs a kidney transplant, we’re experts in transplant and follow-up care. Our Pair Donor Exchange Program can help shorten your child’s wait time for a kidney. This program increases the opportunity for children who are incompatible with a majority of donor kidneys to be transplanted. Because the child receives a kidney from a living donor, they will usually have a better outcome.
Annual Pediatric Nephrology Seminar held every March. Celebrating our 45th year in 2018, this unique international gathering of nephrology specialists is an important forum for exchanging the latest innovations and research findings in pediatric nephrology. Pediatric and adult nephrologists, pediatricians, internists, general practitioners, pediatric urologists, and transplant surgeons from throughout the United States and the world attend this annual event.
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