The 10 Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection in Children!

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection in Children  that we should not ignore. Furthermore, urinary tract infections  are one of the most common diseases among newborns and infants, even in adulthood they have a special incidence in the general population and women in particular.

About 3% of babies have a urinary tract infection before age 11, but unlike adults, they are not able to find out what happens, so parents should be on the lookout for urinary infection symptoms in children.

If a urinary tract infection is detected early, it can cause serious consequences, so in the following article we will explain all the symptoms of urinary tract infection in children, their causes and prevention methods to prevent your child from suffering from this condition.

As already mentioned, urinary tract infection is very common among children, but especially in girls. Why they are more exposed to this disease is due to the female anatomy, with a shorter urethra and through urine much closer to the anus, making it much easier for germs to get there.

Such as urinary tract infections can occur in all anatomical structures through which urine passes from the kidneys to the urethra, it depends on where the infection occurs and the symptoms the baby will be observed, then we will explain them all:

Bladder Infection: Bladder  infection is called cystitis and is usually the most common in girls, the symptoms we consider to be identified are:

• Pain in the lower abdominal area, touch them to see if they are tender.
• Both the color and the smell of urine is stronger than usual for the baby.
• Pain when urinating observed.
• One of the determining symptoms of infection is frequency, that is, urinating more often than usual, but in a smaller amount than normal.

Kidney Infection:  When a urinary tract infection affects one or both kidneys it is called pyelonephritis, which in this case is much more serious than cystitis , and if left untreated it can leave serious sequelae inthe child’s kidneys . To the symptoms described above must be added others such as:

• Irritability in children.
• Fever.
• vomiting.
• They don’t eat.
• They stagnate or lose weight.

Although it is not an easy condition for parents to detect with the naked eye, especially in cases where the baby still does not speak, being a relatively common infection in children, doctors and pediatricians tend to look for it when a child is not well and is not feeling well. can you find where this malaise came from.

Sequelae of Urinary Tract Infection in Children:  As stated above, urinary tract infections in babies , especially in the kidneys and if not treated in time, can leave serious sequelae in children. That not yet fully formed and fully functioning kidneys plus the fact that it has been slow to diagnose the condition can end up scarring these organs, aggravating their functioning and affecting life.

60% of children who have suffered urinary tract infections in the childhood kidney stage again have these infections, which can become even more dangerous, hence the importance of knowing how to quickly recognize the symptoms and diagnose it quickly. There are other diseases that can be associated with this condition, particularly hypertension.

How to Prevent a Urinary Tract Infection in Children:  Zero risk does not exist, so we cannot guarantee 100% that our baby will not suffer from a urinary tract infection , so what we can do is take a series of measures to avoid or at least make it difficult for him not to get this type of infection. Given that the cause of this disease is the entry into the urinary structure of germs from the anal area, these are the tips they give you to prevent urinary tract infection in children:

• Change diapers frequently.
• It is preferable to change diapers often, even if they are not of such quality, very expensive to buy diapers and baby wear them for long hours.
• If the child is older what you have to do understand that you should not resist the urge to pee, that when you feel the urge to urinate you should go to the bathroom. Thus, the urinary system is cleansed.
• Each time you urinate properly clean the genitals. For girls, this cleaning should be from top to bottom, that is, from the vulva to the anus.
• Underwear must be cotton.
• Don’t use too aggressive soap, it’s better to use milder soaps.
• Constantly keeping them hydrated must provide them with water so they can drink during the day.

Treatment of Urinary  Tract Infection in Children:  When the doctor suspects that the child has a urinary tract infection,  he will collect urine just to determine which germ is causing the damage, with the intention of administering the medication that is best adapt to the circumstances.

Since the results are not immediate, but take a few days, it is common for the doctor to choose to start antibiotic treatment before knowing what type of germ is targeted to avoid possible complications from the infection.

Later, if the treatment has not worked, the necessary antibiotic is given, according to the results, while if it works, it takes a few days. This procedure does so because, in most cases, the germ that causes the urinary tract infection is Escherichia coli.

In children under one year, in most cases, this is necessary to keep them hospitalized because antibiotics and treatment are given intravenously, plus there can be assistance when any complications that may occur in the health status of the baby. Older infants and children can now be treated with oral antibiotics, treatment can be extended from 6 months to 2 years.

Depending on whether the baby has had more repetitions of urinary tract infection or if there is pyelonephritis, if it is still a child or a newborn, if there has been any damage to the kidney and many other factors, one treatment or another is chosen and stretches for more or less time, always to preserve the baby’s health.

This article is informative, they have no power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to visit a doctor in case you experience any kind of condition or discomfort.