Inability to Urinate in Children

For most children, the inability to urinate is caused by dehydration. Common causes of dehydration are not drinking enough fluids, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. A child can also quickly become dehydrated in hot weather.

When a child is not dehydrated, the inability to urinate can be caused by:

• Injury.
• Infection.
• Medicines, such as Actifed, Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, Dimetapp, Robitussin Cough and Cold, or Tavist.
• Problems with the structure or function of the urinary tract, such as vesicoureteral reflux, an obstruction in the urinary tract, or another abnormality.

Credits

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