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Signs of a Bladder Infection in Babies

Bladder infections, also known as urinary tract infections, affect about 2 percent of boys and 8 percent of girls during childhood. Baby girls are more likely to develop bladder infections because they have shorter urethras. Babies who suffer from bladder infections are easily treated, but if the condition is left untreated, they can suffer permanent kidney damage and possibly kidney failure.

  1. Signs/Symptoms

    • Babies often do not show signs of a bladder infection other than having a fever. Other symptoms that might occur are foul or odd-smelling urine, bloody or cloudy urine, unexplainable irritation or persistent frustration, vomiting, crying possibly that urination is painful and lack of appetite or refusal to eat.

    Treatments

    • To determine if your baby has a bladder infection, your pediatrician will obtain a urine sample to analyze for bacteria by placing a urine collection bag on your baby. If your baby is diagnosed with a bladder infection, your pediatrician will prescribe an antibiotic course of five to seven days. Your pediatrician will likely want to do a two-week followup after treatment to make sure the bladder infection has been cleared. Babies who are unable to drink or eat because of a bladder infection will be required to be hospitalized in order to receive medicine intravenously.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Babies who have a family history of bladder and urinary tract infections might be prone to the condition. Prevention of bladder infections is possible by making sure your baby drinks plenty of fluids to ensure they are flushing out their urinary tract consistently. If your baby has started solids, incorporate whole grains, fruits and vegetables to prevent the onset of constipation. If you have a baby girl, avoid using harsh soaps during bath time and avoid using any type of bubble bath soaps. Keep the genital area free from bacteria by always wiping from front to back during her diaper changes.

    Considerations

    • Babies who are breast-fed until at least seven months have shown to have fewer bladder and urinary tract infections and were protected from the condition until around 2 years of age. Babies who have recurrent bladder infections should have urine culture checks every one to two months to monitor infections.

    Warning

    • Untreated bladder infections in people under the age of 2 are more likely to cause serious damage. Babies might also have blockage in their urinary tract that requires surgery. Children usually outgrow the problem by the age of 6. To prevent kidney damage during this time, pediatricians prescribe low-dose antibiotics to prevent bladder infections.

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