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Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infections in childhood, especially in the youngest babies, because their urinary tract is still developing , this facilitates the entry of microorganisms. There is not always any sign that something is wrong.
So we should be alert to the number of times the child looks for the bathroom and also if there is any discomfort when urinating. They usually have the following symptoms:
- Bad to be
- High fever
- Lack of appetite
- Strong smelling urine
Leaking pee on clothes when the child has unfolded for some time, can also be a warning sign . Studies report that on average 8% of girls and 2% of boys up to eight years of age have urinary tract infection at least once.
What is urinary tract infection?
Urinary tract infection is diagnosed when found in the urine or in any part of the urinary tract such as kidneys, bladder and urethra the presence of microorganisms. The tests requested will be to assess and diagnose what type of microorganisms is causing the infection, and thus will have the appropriate treatment for each type of microorganism. The diagnosis is made through urine examination (urine type I and urine culture with antibiogram), which in the laboratory will be checked for the presence of foreign bacteria . The test results come out quickly, so that treatment starts immediately.
What is the treatment for urinary tract infection in children?
The medication used to fight urinary tract infection is an oral antibiotic, but in some more serious cases, hospitalization may be necessary to receive medication through the vein. Usually the treatment lasts an average of 10 days and even if the child shows improvement in the first days of treatment, medication should be taken until the last day indicated.
How do you get urinary tract infection and how to prevent it?
As babies, boys are more likely to have urinary tract infections than girls , due to the shape of the genitals. As boys are born with the skin covering the tip of the penis, this makes cleaning difficult and also happens to be residue of urine, which ends up creating bacteria that bring the infection. When they are bigger, and the skin opens up or when the famous phimosis surgery is not operated , this problem decreases considerably.
The girls, who do not have so many cases as a baby , suffer more from this problem when they are older (after thawing), as the female urethra is very close to the anus, which contributes to the proliferation of bacteria up to the vagina , which causes urinary tract infection. . Some hygienic precautions must be taken, such as frequent diaper changes, the correct cleaning of the genitalia and prevent the child from going for long periods without peeing, as the accumulation of urine in the bladder can produce bacteria. Remembering that children should not sit in public toilets, if necessary use toilet seats disposable items, which are now easily found in drugstores for a low cost and can be carried normally in the bag.
See also: Infant Stomatitis – What is it and how to treat it?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
