To ensure a safe and healthy lifestyle for their child, the mother would take extra precautions – carefully picking out fruits and vegetables, sterilizing plates and utensils, keeping track of the child’s daily routine etc. They are also aware of the microorganisms that enter into the baby’s body through mouth, nose,and ears causing infections resulting in cold, fever, stomach upsets, earache, etc. Most of the mothers will take necessary precautions to shield their baby from those infections. However, even with all that, there is one thing that these mothers tend to forget. There is another hotspot for the microorganisms to enter the body – the urinary tract.
Urinary tract infection or UTI is a typical issue among babies who are under two years. Before their fifth birthday, around 8% of baby girls and around 1-2% of the baby are found to experience at least one UTI.
A urinary tract infection is an infection caused by the bacteria to the urinary tract of a child. The urinary tract consists of the kidney where the urine forms, the ureters (one tube that starts from each kidney) which carry urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder. The bladder stores urine until the body is prepared to expel it, and the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.
Urinary tracts are generally divided into two types-
The urinary tract infection can happen anywhere along this tract. However, the lower part — the urethra and bladder — is most usually affected.
Three types of UTIs are found to affect the children:
Pyelonephritis is quite a serious condition in children, as it will damage the kidneys.
The signs of UTIs differ depending on the area of the infection and age of the kid. Here are some of the signs in children based on their age:
Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infections In Babies | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Babies aged under two months | Babies above two months to two years old | ||||||
Fever, Inability to thrive | Fever | ||||||
Vomiting | Vomiting | ||||||
Jaundice | Pain in abdomen | ||||||
Unexplained persisting irritability | Unexplained persisting irritability | ||||||
Not feeding satisfactorily | Poor feeding and changes in appetite | ||||||
Cloudy or bloody urine | Strong odor of urine | ||||||
Baby cries during urination | Cries when urinating |
Bacterial infection and abnormality in the urinary tract are the reasons that trigger UTI among the children. Bacteria, which usually dwell in the large intestine, will be present in the poop of the child. These bacteria have several chances to enter the urinary tract of the child. It can get into the urinary tract through the urethra or through lymph and blood.
If it enters the body through the urethra, the lower urinary tract is generally infected. If it gets into the body through lymph and blood, kidneys and bladder are mostly infected (which is more serious). In short, irrespective of the way the bacteria enter the urinary tract, if the urine carrying bacteria is not disposed off the body within a certain time (through urination), it brings out the UTI in children.
Here are some ways through which the bacteria get into the urinary tract of the baby:
Issues with the structure or function of the urinary tract can also cause UTIs in babies and young children. Issues that affect the body’s capacity to banish the urine from the body include:
Baby girls are at a higher risk compared to baby boys in the light of the fact that the urethra of the girls is shorter and nearer to the rear-end (anus). Wiping and cleaning from back to front after a bowel movement (especially during the time of toilet training) increases the chances of infection in girls as it easier for microorganisms to enter the urinary tract.
Once your child shows the symptoms of UTI take your child to a pediatric nephrologist. UTIs are generally treated with antibiotics in liquid form for babies. The duration of medication and its dosage rely on the kind of bacteria that is bringing about the infection and how serious it is. After finishing a course of antibiotics, the kid’s doctor may redo the urine tests to confirm the infection is cleared. It is significant to ensure that the infection is cleared on the grounds that an incompletely treated UTI can reoccur more severely. Babies younger than 30 days old with UTIs typically need to be hospitalized for treatment.
There are several home treatments for the children for recovering fast from UTI and decreasing its discomforts.
UTIs in babies are normally simple to treat. However, if left untreated, they can bring about long lasting kidney damage and even kidney failure. Studies proved that babies under age 2 are more prone to serious renal damage than the older ones. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and treat UTI in the baby at the earliest opportunity.
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