Children are very easy to get sick. Commonly, they catch colds, flu, and cough from time to time. However, another common illness in children is UTI or urinary tract infection. Signs of UTI in children are very hard to know. However, parents need to sick for the treatment for their kids. It is to prevent getting serious cases like kidney infection. After the treatment, kids will start to feel better in a few days.
1. How Kids Get It?
The main source is bacteria that come from poop or dirty skin. It reaches the urinary tract, and it will grow there. Mostly, girls can have it often more than boys. Hence, these germs can infect part of the urinary tract, such as:
- Kidney
- Ureter
- Urethra
- Bladder
Moreover, girls are prone to it because of the shorter way of going to the urethra from the anus. Therefore, germs can easily reach the inside and multiply. Also, some kids may have an existing kidney problem.
2. What are the Warning Signs?
UTI in children is, most of the time, painful. Older kids will complain about pain in the back, sides, and lower belly. Also, some might show peeing more than usual. Worse is that children may lose their bladder control. Serous cases will have some blood in their urine.
For very young kids, parents need to dig deeper to know what is wrong with their child. Hence, signs might be very general for infants, like loss of interest in eating, fever, and uneasiness.
Other signs to look out for are:
- Pain while peeing
- Foul smell
- Cloudy pee
- Few drops of pee
- Fever
3. Who is at Risks?
Some are more likely to have UTIs in kids than others. Some of the risks are:
- Uncircumcised children
- Untrained kids (kids who are not toilet trained)
- Children with other illness
- Sexual activity
4. How is it discovered?
Once you notice signs of UTI in kids and seek medical help. You can take them to their pediatrician or general doctor. It is important to give a urine sample to the doctor. Hence, it will undergo testing for bacteria. One can collect a sample in different ways like:
- Collect sing a cup
- You can use a plastic bag for younger children
- Infants may have to use a catheter
- Use of needle directly from the bladder
Inside the laboratory, they will try to find out the type of bacteria. It can help the doctor to give proper treatment. In the case of recurring UTI, then your child might see a nephrologist.
5. What are Other Tests?
A specialist may request additional tests to know other problems. Some of these tests are:
- Ultrasound
- Nuclear scan
- CT scan
- MRI
- VCUG
6. What are Effective Treatments?
Usually, treatment comes with the medicine. Hence, it is also for UTI in babies to kill bacteria that cause it. Also, it is advisable to take it for about 3 to 10 days. However, it depends on the seriousness of the case. After that, the doctor will request another urine test. It is done to ensure that there are no bacteria left.
Furthermore, parents should ensure that children take their medicine on time. The most common mistake is stopping the medicine too soon. The child may get better after a few days. However, it does not mean that you should stop the medicine.
Call the doctor right away if you see no improvement at all. Also, the child can experience feeling better after three days. However, if it gets worse after a few days, then call your doctor.
7. What are Home Remedies?
Some natural remedies can help lessen the signs of UTI in babies. However, most of it is not based on science. It is good to know that most of these natural home remedies are safe.
- Cranberry juice- some say that it can kill bacteria in the bladder. Also, it can help to flush it away.
- Pineapple juice– is a nutritious fruit with a lot of fiber. Hence, it has a good effect that can also kill bacteria.
- Yogurt- has a lot of good bacteria in it that can fight the bad ones.
- Drink more water- drinking a lot of water can help flush away bacteria and clean the bladder.
Preventing it from happening is better than looking for an effective cure. Therefore, parents must always look after the welfare of their children.
