Signs & Symptoms of UTI in Children

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), also termed or referred to as bladder infections, occur when bacteria enter the urethra, travel to the bladder, multiply and take hold within the bladder resulting in an infection. The female urethra is much shorter than males, making girls at higher risk for developing a UTI.

Signs & Symptoms

• According to Dr. Jim Sears, M.D., signs and symptoms that your child may have a UTI include frequent urination, pain or burning sensations when urinating, strong, painful urgency to urinate, urine that has a foul smell and a possible fever. Mild UTIs and bladder infections do not typically cause fevers, but severe UTIs that have developed into kidney infections can cause a fever in children. Kidney infections as a result of a UTI can also cause lower back and/or side pain as well as vomiting.

Causes

• Dr. Sears also states that there are five main reasons that children develop UTIs and bladder infections. These reasons include: Harsh soaps, bubble baths and even clothing can cause soreness in the urethra, creating a welcoming environment for bacteria to invade and cause a UTI. If a child waits extended amounts of time before urinating, bacteria has more time to multiply and infect the bladder. UTIs can be caused from wiping improperly, increasing the amount of stool and bacteria that can infect the urethra and cause infection. Children who are constipated have large amounts of stool that can put pressure on the bladder and urethra making it difficult to empty the bladder completely, and in turn increasing the chance of bacteria building up in the bladder. Anatomic abnormalities where the urethra has not developed correctly can also cause a UTI in children.

Diagnosing UTIs in Children

• Children showing signs and symptoms of a UTI need to be evaluated by a pediatrician who will require that a urine sample be taken. Children can attempt to provide a sample while at the doctor's office, or take a sample cup home for collection. If your child needs to collect a sample at home, the first urination in the morning will provide the most accurate results. Assist your child by holding the sample cup and after the first two seconds of urination, move the cup under the urine to collect at least one-half an inch of urine. For best results the urine sample should be taken for evaluation within 40 minutes after collection, but can be stored over-night in the refrigerator. In rare cases, pediatricians feel that a urine sample from a bladder catheter is necessary. Bladder catheters provide the most accurate results but can also be very painful for children to endure. Older children who have a history of UTIs may not have to undergo urine testing if they have already collected previous samples from previous infections. Instead, their pediatrician may simply prescribe a round of antibiotics to treat the UTI instead of going through the entire testing process.

Treatment

• Antibiotics are usually the first line of treatment to clear up a UTI in children. Dr. Sears also recommends that children drink plenty of water to help flush bacteria out of the bladder and urinate frequently throughout the day to prevent the build up of bacteria in the bladder. Children who are experiencing pain and fear of pain when urinating may find comfort sitting in a warm bath to urinate which may provide pain-relief when urinating. If your child's UTI has developed into a kidney infection your pediatrician may elect to administer a powerful antibiotic shot child in order to decrease the damaging effects of an infection in the kidneys.

Prevention/Solution

• There are a variety of prevention methods for preventing a UTI in children. Avoiding the use of harsh soaps and bubble baths and wearing loose, comfortable clothing will prevent irritation of the urethra. Parents can also encourage their children to practice proper front-to-back wiping as well as urinating as soon as they feel the urge. Parents can also try to prevent their child from becoming constipated and increasing their daily fluid intake. Children who have had multiple or recurrent UTIs may also practice antibiotic prophylaxis which is the practice of taking antibiotics daily to prevent the build up of bacteria in the bladder. Your pediatrician may also want to perform a urinary culture once every one to two months to monitor bacteria in the bladder.

Misconceptions

• Many people used to believe that uncircumcised boys had a higher risk of developing UTIs or bladder infections. These boys, under the age of one, do have a higher risk of UTI but after the age of one, the risk decreases significantly.