How To Identify UTI In Kids

Are you worried about your child getting a urinary infection? If you are in search of the best kids care tips for children to identify UTIs, you have come to the right place.

Children can frequently suffer from UTIs or urinary tract infections. Generally, when bacteria enter an individual’s urethra, urination successfully eliminates them from the body. But, sometimes, it may remain in the urethra, causing it to develop inside the urinary tract and travel up to the bladder. This results in urinary infection.

Although these infections are not severe, doctors recommend treating them sooner to reduce the discomfort a child may feel. Where 8 out of 100 girls may get UTI, out of 100, every two boys may get UTI. Unlike older kids, younger kids are at a higher risk of UTI damaging their kidneys. Therefore, it becomes essential to identify UTIs in time.

This blog will cover everything about urinary tract infections in children and how you can treat them.

Urinary Tract And Classification Of UTI

The body parts that play a vital role in producing urine form the urinary tract. These body parts are:

Kidneys: There are two kidneys present in the human body, and act as a filter for cleaning wastes from your blood and any excess water to form urine. It also removes any acid body cells produce and keeps a healthy amount of water, minerals and essential salts in your blood.

Bladder: A bladder is triangular and is present in the lower abdomen. The purpose of a bladder is to store all the urine until it is expelled from the body.

Ureters: The two tubes responsible for moving urine from an individual’s kidneys to the bladder are known as ureters.

Urethra: A tube plays the role of expelling urine from the bladder and out of the body. This tube is known as the urethra.

UTIs or urinary tract infections generally affecting kids can be put into two classes. These depend on the body parts that have the infection.

Upper Urinary Tract Infection: An upper urinary infection is when a child suffers from an infection in the kidneys or ureters.

Lower Urinary Tract Infection: When an individual suffers from a bladder infection, known as cystitis, it falls under lower UTI. When this infection travels up to the kidneys, it is known as pyelonephritis. If someone has an infection in the urethra, it is also a lower UTI.

Generally, antibiotics can successfully treat these infections. However, if a child with a kidney infection does not receive proper treatment as soon as possible, it can cause serious health problems. Please consider the kids’ or teenage care tips to prevent this.

UTI Signs And Symptoms

Kids find it hard to communicate, making it a challenge to identify whether your kid is suffering from a UTI. Some of the typical signs that your child may show when infected are as follows:

• They may have a high fever.
• Check for any signs of fatigue and low energy.
• Vomiting is also a general sign of your child being unwell.
• Some kids may have a poor appetite or may not be gaining weight as they should.
• Kids may feel irritated.
• There are signs of jaundice in small children in which their skin and the white part of their eyes turn yellow.

There are other clear and distinct signs of UTI in children that you should specifically pay attention to. These include:

• When urinating, a child may complain about feeling a sharp pain or suffer a burning sensation.
• When a child has UTIs, they frequently need to relieve themselves or feel like they want to urinate.
• In UTI, some kids may try to hold their urine intentionally.
• Contact the general physician if your child complains about pain in their abdomen, lower back or side.
• If you notice the urine has an unpleasant smell or blood or is cloudy.

UTI often cause the linings of the various body parts of the urinary tract to turn red and swell up. As a result, the infected child may complain about pain and cry when they try to urinate. Sometimes, a child with this infection may have trouble controlling the urine and accidentally wet their bed.

Other than having a high fever and weak appetite, UTI can cause a child to have loose stools, mild fever, and look unhealthy. It is best to seek a healthcare professional if your kid is sick without any specific reason. You should pay close attention in such cases and follow kids care tips, as an untreated kidney infection can cause the bacteria to reach the bloodstream. It can damage the kidneys or even be fatal.

What Causes UTI In Kids?

The most common cause of UTIs is bacteria that reach the urethra from the child’s digestive system. There are multiple ways how this occurs.

• When a child uses dirty toilet paper to wipe themselves, their genitals may come in contact and lead to UTI. Most of the time, girls may get UTI by this as their urethra is closer to their bottom.
• Other times, it is possible or babies to get pieces of their stool inside their urethra when they defecate into their diaper.
• Some children are weaker and can easily get UTIs. When a child suffers from constipation, their large intestine may swell and create pressure on their bladder. Consequently, it will be harder for your child to empty it naturally.
• Some children may develop dysfunctional elimination syndrome or DES. It is a common condition in which a kid may try to intentionally hold their urine regardless of their wanting to relieve themselves.
• In rare situations, a child can suffer from vesicoureteral reflux, in which the urine present in the bladder leaks into the kidneys or ureters. As the ureters enter the bladder, they have valves. When these valves are unable to function correctly, they may lead to leaking urine.

What Are The Treatments For UTIs?

If your child has a UTI, a physician will suggest immediately starting an antibiotic treatment for preventing the kid’s kidney from damaging. The physician will give your child the antibiotic type based on how severe the infection is. It will also determine the treatment’s length.

Common antibiotics used for treating UTIs include amoxicillin, cephalosporins, nitrofurantoin, clavulanic acid with amoxicillin, doxycycline for children above the age of 8 years and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim.

In case your child has a bladder infection that is not severe, they can be given treatment at home with oral antibiotics. However, if the condition is serious, the doctor may ask you to hospitalize the child to treat them with antibiotics and IV fluids.

Hospitalization may only be necessary:

• For less than a six-month-old child.
• In case of infection in the blood.
• If the child has a high temperature that is not dropping.
• When a child is incapable of consuming medications orally, suffering from dehydration and vomiting.
• When a very young child is ill and is possibly suffering from a kidney infection.

Treatment At Home

To take care of your child at home, you can follow the following kids or teenage care tips:

• Regardless of your child feeling better after the medication, completing the whole course advised by the physician is necessary.
• It is best to give your child enough liquids to ensure they frequently urinate to heal quickly. However, ask your physician about the adequate water quantity.
• Keep checking your child’s temperature for fever. In case of a temperature above 38.3 degrees Celsius, call or visit your doctor. Follow the same if your baby has a fever over 38 degrees Celsius and lasts for three or more consecutive days.
• The pain accompanying bladder and kidney infections can be bad for your child. You can apply a hot pad or hot-water bottle where they feel pain, such as in the abdomen or back.
• Ask if your child feels any burning sensation or experiences pain while urinating, and contact the physician when the symptoms worsen.

Preventing Infection In Children

You can follow the given techniques and tips to prevent your child from getting a urinary infection:

• Incorporate enough liquids into your child’s diet.
• Avoid giving a girl child bubble soap to prevent contact with bacteria.
• Regularly change the diapers and nappies.
• Buy loose undergarments and clothes for your child.
• Teach kids to avoid holding their urine and use the loo regularly.
• For wiping techniques, tell them to start from the front and clean to the back to prevent infections.
• It is best to teach your kids hygiene habits and how they should maintain the health of their genitals.

Conclusion

UTIs can be commonly found in children and is a significant concern for parents. If you notice your child showing any signs of painful urination, burning sensation, fever, smelly urine, vomiting, etc., it is best to consult your general physician. Moreover, you can keep following the various point for prevention. Ensure to visit the doctor as soon as possible, as infections that affect the kidney can cause more complications, such as kidney damage.