Your child’s urine may contain blood if the color is red, orange or brown.  When urine contains red blood cells, doctor use the medical term hematuria to describe it.

What causes hematuria ?

Some of the causes of blood in your child’s urine include the following :

• Physical injury, inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
• Medical problems such as defects in blood clotting.
• Exposure to toxic materials
• Hereditary conditions
• Immune system abnormalities

Sometimes the amount of  blood in urine can be so small that there will not be any color change although it may be detected by a chemical test performed by the pediatrician.

You also have to note that reddish urine color is not always associated with hematuria. It could simply mean your child has eaten or swallowed something. Beets, blackberries , red food coloring, phenolphthalein (a chemical sometimes used in laxatives) or phenazopyridine (medicine used to relieve bladder pain)  and the medicine rifampin may cause the urine to turn red or orange if your child ingests them.

It is always important to contact your pediatrician when you’re in doubt of what is causing your child’s hematuria.

How is hematuria  treated ?

Your doctor will ask you questions about injuries, food and health symptoms that may be responsible for the blood in urine. He will also perform a physical exam and check for increase in blood pressure, tenderness in the kidney area or swelling that may indicate kidney problems. He may also order urine sample test, blood test, imaging studies ( such as ultrasound and x-rays) or other examinations to check the functioning of your child’s kidneys, bladder and immune system. If these tests do not reveal hematuria, the doctor will refer your child to a kidney specialists to perform more tests. Once the cause of the problem is determined, a decision will be made about the treatment options.

Your child will need to return to the doctor occasionally  for a repeat urine and blood tests as well as blood pressure checks. This is done to make sure the child isn’t developing chronic kidney disease which could result in kidney failure. Occasionally hematuria is caused by kidney stones or rarely an abnormality that will require surgery.