Urinary Tract Infection Signs and Symptoms: An Introduction
Common Symptoms of a Urinary Tract Infection
Common symptoms include:
- Frequent or intense urges to urinate, even when you have little urine to pass
- A painful, burning feeling during urination
- Milky, cloudy, or reddish-brown urine.
More severe urinary tract infection symptoms may indicate that the UTI has reached the kidneys. Severe symptoms include:
- Fever or chills (usually does not occur if the infection is in the bladder or urethra)
- Pain in the back or side below the ribs
- Nausea
- Vomiting.
Children who have urinary tract infection symptoms may be misdiagnosed because their symptoms may be overlooked or attributed to another disorder.
- Irritability
- Not eating normally
- Unexplained fever that will not go away
- Incontinence
- Loose bowels
- Not thriving.
Unlike adults, when children have a UTI, they are more likely to have fever and no other symptoms of a urinary tract infection. This can happen to both boys and girls, and children should see their doctor if they experience symptoms, especially when there are changes in the child's urinary pattern.