•  
  •  

Urinary Obstruction in Children

A urinary obstruction refers to anything that blocks, slows, or disrupts the normal flow of urine through the urinary tract. Obstructions can occur at any point in the urinary tract. They can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later.

Causes of urinary obstructions in children include:

  • Kidney stones. Kidney stones are caused by the buildup of minerals in the kidneys.
  • An abnormality of the point where the ureter joins the kidney.
  • A sagging or bulging of the ureter into the bladder, called a ureterocele.
  • An abnormality in which the ureter opens into an area other than the bladder. The ureter may open into the urethra or the vagina in girls or the vas deferens in boys.
  • Misplaced, narrowed, or widened ureters or urethra.

Urinary obstructions disrupt normal urine flow and allow bacteria to grow in the urinary tract. This increases the risk of bladder and kidney infections.

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised April 12, 2011

Last Revised: April 12, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.