Explaining VUR to your Child

It is best to explain in your own words what is going to happen. The following description may give you some ideas. It is important that you use the same words for ‘urine’ and ‘urinate’ that you normally use with your child at home.

“Your bladder is like a big balloon that fills up with urine that comes from the kidneys. When you urinate, you empty the bladder, which then has nothing left in it. The urine comes into the bladder down two tubes, which are like two long, thin drinking straws. When the bladder is filled with urine, two little gates are supposed to close off the tubes. If they don’t work properly, the urine can run back up the tubes. This is not good for you, because the kidneys may become sick if there are germs in the urine.