Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Quality of life, cognitive level and school performance in children with functional lower urinary tract dysfunction
Lorenna Andrade Veloso1, Maria Júlia Gonçalves de Mello2, José Pacheco Martins Ribeiro Neto1
1IMIP, Brazil.
Insights
Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) significantly impacts children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Urology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) encompasses voiding issues without anatomical or neurological causes.
- Diagnosis relies on clinical symptoms, standardized by the International Children's Continence Society.
- Limited research explores the link between LUTD, quality of life, and academic performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess bladder control milestones in children with LUTD.
- To evaluate daily challenges, quality of life (QoL), cognitive abilities, and school performance.
- To understand the comprehensive impact of LUTD on affected children.
Main Methods:
- A case series design was employed.
- Patients were followed at a pediatric nephrology tertiary hospital.
- Assessments included the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQoL), School Performance Test (TDE), and Raven Progressive Matrices.
Main Results:
- Urge incontinence, holding maneuvers, and enuresis were common symptoms.
- Children experienced social difficulties, including embarrassment and caregiver-related stress.
- Lower QoL scores, particularly in the school domain, correlated with poorer academic and cognitive performance.
Conclusions:
- LUTD negatively impacts children's quality of life.
- School performance and cognitive function are often compromised in children with LUTD.
- The dysfunction can strain family and social relationships.
Introduction:
Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) are voiding dysfunctions without anatomical or neurological defects. The diagnosis is primarily clinical, with symptoms standardized by the International Children's Continence Society. Few studies relate quality of life of patients with cognitive and school performance.
Objective:
To evaluate milestones of bladder control, daily problems, quality of life (QoL), cognitive function and school performance of children with LUTD.
Methods:
Case series of patients followed in the Pediatric Nephrology tertiary hospital with assessment of QoL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - PedsQoL version 4), School Performance Test (TDE) and Raven Progressive Matrices test.
Results:
Girls of lower social class were (90.9%) of eligible children. The mean age was 9.1 ± 4.8 years old. The most common symptoms were urge incontinence (81%), holding maneuvers (77.3%) and enuresis (59.1%) associated with the elimination disorder syndrome (63.6%). Caregivers considered volunteers urinary losses and/ or symptoms, and fought and/or beat the child. Children had been subjected to embarrassing situations such as warnings of teachers, they hid symptoms and/or the dirty clothes. Mean score of QoL was 71.0 ± 12.6 with the lowest mean score on the school dimension. In TDE 55% had lower performance and in Raven Matrices 60% were intellectually in the medium level. It was observed lower QoL scores in the medium and lower level of TDE and average intellectual capacity/below average in Raven matrices.
Conclusion:
LUTD may negatively affect family and social relationships, school performance and QoL of children with the dysfunction.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Urodynamic Studies: Uroflowmetry
01:21Nursing Assessment of the Genitourinary System I: Health History
01:17Urinary Tract Infection IV: Nursing Management
01:30Information Processing Approach
01:26Urinary Tract Calculi II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations
01:30Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care