Urology is a surgical specialty concerned with normal and abnormal problems of the kidney, renal, pelvis, ureter, bladder, urethra, penis, and vagina in both genders. Urogenital or genitourinary (GU) are words that refer to the urinary and genital organs.

According to the American Urological Association, 1 percent to 2 percent of children develop urinary tract infections. Younger children have a greater risk of kidney damage linked to urinary tract infections than older children or adults. Many diseases of the genitourinary system in children are present when a child is born. This poses unique challenges that are vastly different from adults with kidney disease.

Because the genitourinary system is so complex, involving many systems in the body, a child with a genitourinary disorder may require a multidisciplinary group of specialists to participate in his or her care.