The management of childhood urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections can result in significant morbidity and represent one of the most common urological conditions that the pediatrician and family practitioner encounter in the pediatric patient population. The prevalence of UTI in girls may be as high as 8.1%. UTIs also represent the most commonly identified serious bacterial infection in infants presenting with a febrile illness. Of febrile infants aged 2-3 months, 3-10% have a documented UTI. While the majority of the UTIs are not associated with any significant underlying conditions, the mere presence of a UTI is worrisome to most parents. An appropriate evaluation will determine which of these patients need referral. A brief summary is therefore presented to assist the primary care physician in the evaluation and management of childhood UTIs.