Your Childrens Health

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common problem in childhood.  Though older children may experience symptoms such as bleeding or painful urination, it can be difficult to tell if a younger child or infant has an infection.  Their only symptom may be a fever.

UTIs are more common in girls than boys, particularly around toilet training age.  Girls urethras are shorter and located close to the anus, where they could come in contact with harmful bacteria.

A UTI occurs when bacteria enters the urinary tract, which is composed of the urethra, bladder, kidneys, and ureters.  The urinary tract is designed to flush waste from the body.  An infection can occur anywhere along this tract, though it is most common for infection to develop in the urethra or bladder.

An infection in the bladder is referred to as cystitis.  If the infection travels up the ureters to the kidney, a more serious infection called pyelonephritis will develop.  It is important to catch the infection early, before it has a chance to do damage to the kidneys. 

E.coli is the most common cause of UTIs, introduced to the urinary tract because of its close proximity to the rectum.  It is important to teach children to wipe properly, from front to back, after using the washroom, and to wash their hands thoroughly.  You should also teach your child to urinate when they feel that they need to, instead of waiting, as urine is a great place for bacteria to flourish.

You may suspect that your infant or toddler has a UTI if they:

• develop a persistent fever for no other apparent reason
• seem irritable or grumpy
• have frequent bouts of diaper rash
• are feeding poorly or vomiting

Take the child to a doctor immediately and tell them of your suspicions.  A UTI is easy to diagnose and treat.

Older children may experience some of the following symptoms when experiencing a UTI:

• pain, burning, or stinging when urinating
• cloudy-looking or bloody urine
• waking at night to use the washroom
• bedwetting after toilet training
• pain in the lower back or abdomen
• an urge to urinate when little urine is actually produced

Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to preventing damage to the child’s kidneys.  This is especially concerning in children under the age of 6.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 9th, 2006 at 2:16 pm and is filed under High Fever, Infections, Medical Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.