Every parent wants their child to be healthy and happy. But diseases are inevitable and growing babies tend to get sick more than adults. Watching your baby sick and uncomfortable is a painful sight but we all have to go through it. During the first few years of a child’s life, they might catch cold or fever too often. Although Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are much not common among babies, around 8% of the females and 2% of males experience a UTI in the first five years of their life.
Babies cannot communicate their discomforts so it is not easy to identify a UTI in them unless the parents carefully observe the symptoms. But UTIs need to be treated as soon as possible before the infection runs up to the other organs such as the kidneys. When diagnosed early and treated properly, a UTI will go away in few days. This article addresses all the problems about UTIs in babies. Keep reading to know how they are caused, how to diagnose and treat them.
CONTENT
2. How to know if my baby has a UTI?
4. How will my baby be treated for a UTI?
5. How to prevent UTIs in babies?
1. How can a baby get a UTI?
A UTI can happen when the bacteria in the baby’s skin or stool contaminate his urinary tract. These germs can infect and multiply in any of the following parts of the urinary tract.
- The bladder which stores urine until it is passed out. Infections that are identified in the bladder are called Cystitis.
- Urethra that passes the urine stored in the bladder.
- Ureters that send urine from the kidney to the bladder.
- Kidneys which filter extra water and other waste material from blood and process urine. Infections that are found in the kidneys are called pyelonephritis.
Research reveals that females are more likely to get UTIs than boys as they have a shorter urethra. Further, it is easier for the bacteria to get into the vagina and urethra of a female from the anus or feces.
There can be other problems in the kidneys that can make a baby prone to UTIs. Babies who have a narrowed urinary tract are more likely to get UTIs as urine can get blocked easily providing a breeding ground for the germs. There is another health condition vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) which causes urine to flow back to the ureters and the kidneys.
2. How to know if my baby has a UTI?
As I mentioned in the beginning, identifying a UTI in a baby will require a little more effort and observation. They will have general and common symptoms like fever, fussiness, or loss of appetite. Observe whether the baby cries while peeing or their pee smells different. Cloudy pee is also a sign of a UTI.
Toddlers will have obvious symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, back or side pains. They will have an urgent need to pee but will pass only a few drops of urine. Pink urine or blood in urine is also a symptom of UTI for which you have to seek immediate medical advice. If your already potty-trained toddler suddenly pee in the bed at night, check whether they show other symptoms of a UTI. Nausea or diarrhea may also indicate an infection in the urinary tract.
3. How to diagnose a UTI?
Consult your pediatrician immediately after noticing the symptoms of a UTI. The pediatrician will collect a sample of urine and test it for the presence of any bacteria. A sample can be collected in different ways depending on the age of the babies. Toddlers can pee into a cup while other methods such as placing a tube or a bag in the genitals will be used to collect urine samples from babies.
In the laboratory, the presence of an infection and the type of the bacteria will be confirmed. It will help your doctor to prescribe the right medication for your child. If your baby experiences frequent UTI, you will be directed to a kidney specialist (nephrologist) for further tests. The nephrologist will look for other potential problems in the urinary tract through ultrasound scans, CT, MRI, or nuclear scans.
4. How will my baby be treated for a UTI?
Medications will be prescribed to kill bacteria. The baby will have to use an antibiotic for a period of three to ten days. Another sample of urine will be tested to confirm whether the UTI is healed after the medications. Even the symptoms disappear halfway through the course of medication, you have to continue to treatments without a pause.
A UTI usually heals within a week or so when proper treatments are taken. If your child is on antibiotics and still the symptoms stay the same or get worse within the first three days, consult your pediatrician.
5. How to prevent UTIs in babies?
Make sure to change the baby’s diaper on time. Being in a dirty diaper for too long will lead to UTIs as a wet, warm environment catalyze the growth of germs. Clean the genitals of your baby well when changing and let the area air dry.
Once the baby is ready to be potty trained, teach the hygienic habits that prevent UTIs. Guide them to wash and wipe their genitals properly. Make it a habit for your girl child to wipe from front to back after peeing so the bacteria from the anus will not get into her vagina or urethra.
Never use perfumed soap or cleaning products with harsh chemicals on your baby or toddler. Bubble baths can also cause UTIs in girl children easily so it is better to avoid them if your child has experienced a UTI already.
Buy cotton underwear for your kids not the synthetic ones in pretty colors. Cotton underwear is light, breathable, and absorbs sweat which helps to prevent the growth of bacteria in the private regions.
Offer plenty of water to your baby after six months. From the beginning, develop a habit to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Drinking a good amount of water can avoid UTIs by flushing the bacteria out of the urinary tract. It will also help to clear the blockages in the urinary tract.