Infections of the urinary tract.

There are many options for the treatment of the child with pyelonephritis. Many children can be successfully treated without hospitalization. Appropriate use of studies to image the urinary tract to detect renal damage and treatable anatomical and functional abnormalities is a key aspect of the management of such patients. With appropriate interventions (such as antimicrobial prophylaxis for vesicoureteral reflux or surgery for obstructive lesions), subsequent renal damage can be averted and the morbidity of recurrent infections often can be eliminated.