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Children's health

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Presenting as UTI but not infection...help?

8 replies

User415373 · 19/10/2025 22:02

About a month ago my 2yo (almost 3) DS started waking in the night apparently in pain. Lots of grabbing his legs and bouncing up and down, crying. We thought it was growing pains. It happened maybe 3 nights for half an hour or more. The second week the same. The third week the nights were awful (10 hours one night). I called the hv and she thought growing pains. Then it started in the day time as well and it took me ages to click that he felt better after a wee (he didn't say it hurt or his willy was hurting or anything like that) though.
Last Friday night, my husband ended up taking him to a and e on the advice of 111, he had a temp and we were worried it was a urine infection. The said no sign of infection and sent him home. On Wednesday, I took him to the GP, still no sign of infection but protein in the urine. He suggested ballenitis (though no physical sign of that). Yesterday and today he's been wetting himself, getting really upset about needing a wee, refusing to go and holding it etc. he screamed for 2 hours earlier, holding his willy until he wet himself. Called 111 and recommended a and e again. Just got back - no infection in the urine and he 'looks fine'. They made me feel very silly and almost like I was lying (you said he was withholding urine but now you're saying he wet himself 5 times - uhh yes?!)
Still protein but they're not worried about that. Told me to 'keep an eye on' him.
I'm shattered from the nights. He gets so upset and sometimes I have to run a bath and let him stand in it to get him to go.
Any ideas on what this could be, what can I ask for? A referral, more tests?
It's come from out of the blue.

OP posts:
Mumofthree2324 · 19/10/2025 22:27

Im not a medical professional in any way but I have protein in mine because I have a cyst on my kidney, had it for years with no drama and obviously it doesnt mean he has but if it were me id be pushing to have hime checked thoroughly just to be sure its not something

JDM625 · 19/10/2025 22:31

How are his bowels? Constipation can cause pain and also prevent urination and be very closely linked to each other.

CrawlingBackToYou · 19/10/2025 22:32

Could be irritable bladder - follow the advice on ERIC.org or bladder and bowel website. Lots of clear fluids avoid any dark (vimto, blackcurrant etc) fizzy or caffeinated fluids.

treat any constipation

Yennefer17 · 19/10/2025 22:33

Have they checked his blood sugar levels? It*s not typical symptoms but could be T1 diabetes. A blood sugar test is quick and cheap and it's potentially very serious if not caught in time.

User415373 · 19/10/2025 22:39

Thanks everyone.
Bowel movements have been fine.
No they haven't checked anything else - if diabetes would his sugar levels be high on the urine dipstick?
He normally drinks water or milk, occasionally squash.

OP posts:
Tettritet · 19/10/2025 22:47

How are they testing as uti tests are known to be unreliable. Nhs guidelines they are meant to treat by symptoms now but some Dr's seem slow to pick up on this.

Reasonswhy · 20/10/2025 01:54

any other symptoms? This is one of the symptoms of PANDAs, if he has any other sudden onset symptoms eg rage, anxiety, food issues, sleep disturbances, ocd it’s worth looking into.

User415373 · 20/10/2025 09:30

Tettritet · 19/10/2025 22:47

How are they testing as uti tests are known to be unreliable. Nhs guidelines they are meant to treat by symptoms now but some Dr's seem slow to pick up on this.

I didn't know this - thanks. They are just dipping the urine and they have twice sent it to the lab.
Yesterday lunchtime I actually dipped his urine at home (I have some dipsticks to manage my own UTIs) and the nitrates square turned pink. I showed the picture to the nurse and a and e and she said yes definitely shows infection. But the stick the did at a and e was clear.

OP posts:
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