Abstract
It is practical to organize the management of urinary tract infections in children according to whether the infection is “serious” or “not serious.” A simple basis for this classification is the location of the infection in the urinary tract. Delay in recognizing serious disease may permit renal crippling. Where serious disease is suspected, the first goal is to determine the status of the urinary tract as a whole. The likelihood of functional success from modern urosurgical correction of abnormalities exceeds 90 to 95 per cent, whether treatment is medical or surgical. Cautious observation for years is essential.