The Facts

• Urinary disorders in preteens are usually caused by an infection or by a physical abnormality in the child's urinary or nervous system. Cancer is rarely the cause of problems in children. Depending on the cause of the disorder, symptoms can include incontinence, painful urination and other trouble urinating. While a preteen can find his urinary disorder embarrassing, a doctor can help diagnose the cause and offer treatment options.
  
  

Infections

• Some preteen urinary disorders are caused by infections. Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria build up within the urethra, causing inflammation of the tissue. This can result in more frequent urination than usual, which is often painful. It can also lead to incontinence. If a urinary tract infection is left untreated it can worsen and trigger a bladder or kidney infection.
  
  

Physical Abnormalities

• Most physical abnormalities that cause urinary disorders are diagnosed and treated shortly after birth. Some may not be discovered until a child reaches preteen age. A child can have an extra ureter, or tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. The extra ureter can drain through a girl's vagina, resulting in incontinence. A growth like a polyp within a preteen's urethra can lead to blocked urine flow or painful urination. If a boy's bladder does not keep pace with the rest of his body's growth, it may not be able to handle the amount of urine his kidneys produce, which will cause incontinence.
  
  

Treatments

• Treatments for preteen urinary disorders usually require a doctor's intervention. For infections, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics to counteract the bacteria causing the problem. For most physical abnormalities, surgery is the best treatment option. An extra ureter can be removed. Growths within the urinary system can also be surgically removed. For a child with a bladder that is too small, bladder augmentation surgery can increase its size.
  
  

Considerations

• For a young child experiencing trouble with incontinence, the solution is often to give her time to grow out of it. Most children who have a urinary disorder have grown out of it after the age of 5. If urinary disorders are still occurring when she becomes a preteen, treating the problem with a doctor's help is necessary. Not seeking treatment can result in constant pain during urination, repeated infections that are difficult to treat as well as social anxiety and emotional distress.