Urinary tract infection in children and infants; Symptoms, diagnosis and prevention methods

Urinary tract infection in children is considered a serious alarm..... This disease is very common among babies and by involving an important part of the urinary system, it can damage the child's urinary excretion system.

Urinary tract infection in children and infants occurs for various reasons, which must be treated immediately after diagnosis, because otherwise there is a possibility of serious damage to the kidneys, causing kidney failure or high blood pressure in children.

The importance of this issue led us to examine the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections in infants and children in this article.... Avoid this problem with the help of GCORP LLC magazine.

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What is a urinary tract infection?

This disease is a type of bacterial infection in which germs or bacteria enter the urinary system through the urethra and cause damage. Urinary tract infection is very common in children and can occur at any age..

Usually, it is a little difficult to diagnose this disease in minors... because they don't talk carefully about the symptoms that exist.... For this reason, it is recommended that parents monitor their children and receive treatment immediately after the diagnosis of the disease so that serious kidney damage does not occur in the long term...

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Types of urinary infections in children and infants can be divided into two categories:

1. Urinary cystitis infection: This infection occurs in the lower urinary tract, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
2. Pyelonephritis urinary tract infection: This infection occurs in the upper urinary tract where the kidney connects to the bladder and damages the kidney or urinary tract.

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The cause of urinary tract infection in children

The main cause of various infections in children's urine is the entry of bacteria into the urinary system and its multiplication.... In most cases, these bacteria enter the urinary system of children or babies from the intestine with the help of feces, in which case the urinary tract becomes infected...

On the other hand, children who struggle with constipation are at risk of getting a urinary tract infection... But the cause of urinary tract infections in babies and children is not limited to these two factors only... Urinary reflux can be considered as another factor in the occurrence of this complication..

When there is a problem with the bladder valve and the urine does not move in the right direction, it enters the kidneys from the bladder. In this case, the possibility of infection in the urethra, kidney and bladder will be very high.

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Symptoms and symptoms of urinary tract infection in children

According to the capacity of their body, children may experience different signs and symptoms when this condition occurs... It is interesting to know that some children do not have any of these symptoms seriously, but they are not as healthy as before.

In general, the symptoms of urinary infection in babies are:

• Strong and smelly urine
Abdominal pain
• Feeling of fullness in the stomach
• Fever
• Losing or stopping weight
• Excitability
• diarrhea and vomiting
• Jaundice

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Symptoms of urinary tract infection in adult children appear with the following symptoms:

• Feeling the need to urinate urgently and frequently
• Emptying a very small volume of urine despite the feeling of great need
• Excreting some urine before going to the bathroom (incontinence or wetness)
• Pain, burning and difficulty during urination
• Feeling pain above the genital bone
• Presence of blood in urine
• Smelling urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Feeling pain in the back, side and under the ribs

If you have such symptoms, consult an infectious disease doctor through consultation.

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Diagnosis of urinary tract infection in infants and children

After you suspect the presence of an infection in your child's or baby's urine, you should visit an infectious disease doctor for a final diagnosis... The nurse will begin the diagnostic process by conducting a urine test... First, she will insert a special paper strip into the urine, which, if the color changes, shows the presence of an infection in your child's or baby's urine...

The doctor will then send the urine sample to the laboratory to check which bacteria caused this complication.... If your child's problem is acute, the doctor will need the results of kidney and bladder ultrasound for a more accurate diagnosis.

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What tests are needed to diagnose urinary tract infection in children and infants?

As you know, urinary infection test in children and babies can determine its main origin..

This will help choose the best treatment for the problem.. Below we introduce you to common tests to diagnose urinary tract infections:

• Urine analysis test (U/A): In this test, the color and clarity of urine is checked according to parameters such as pH, sugar, nitrite and protein.. The positivity of nitrite indicates an infection in the urine.
• Urine culture test (U/C): If the urinary infection in children is caused by bacteria, this test is requested... The steps of this test in the laboratory take about 3 days.
• 24-hour urine test: One of the complications of urinary tract infection in children is damage to the kidney.... In these cases, the kidney excretes protein...

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Treatment of urinary tract infection in children and infants

Antibiotics are the main treatment for urinary tract infections in children, which are used in the form of syrups, tablets or ampoules.. Usually, babies and children recover at home after taking a period of antibiotics (3 to 7 days). During this time, you can encourage your child to drink fluids and if you see that he is very restless, give him paracetamol to relieve his pain.

Usually, intravenous antibiotics are used to treat UTIs in babies who have acute problems, in which case the toddler needs to be hospitalized... Nitrofurantoin is the best antibiotic for UTIs in children given by mouth... But remember to consult a pediatrician before using this medicine.. infection' for more information about types Appropriate medicines.

Other common antibiotics to treat this complication are:

• Amoxicillin
• Sefixim
• Cefprozil
Cephalexin
• Sulfamethoxazole

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When should we see a doctor for urinary tract infection in children?

If you feel that your child is generally unwell or has a relatively high and unexplained fever, be sure to go to the emergency room as soon as possible.. Also, if there is no improvement after taking antibiotics at home for 48 hours, be sure to see a doctor.

In general, symptoms that require immediate medical attention include:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Very high fever
• Frequent vomiting
• Severe shaking
• Feeling sleepy
• Age less than 3 months
• Severe loss of appetite

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How to prevent urinary tract infection in children

In addition to relieving pain, prevention of diseases will also cost less... especially diseases specific to babies and young children that may continue due to their young age..

Below you will get acquainted with these solutions:

• To prevent bacteria from entering the intestines and urinary system, observe the hygiene of babies and children.
• When cleaning children in diapers, do it from front to back....especially for girls, it should be cleaned from the vagina down.
• Make sure your child is not constipated for a long time... If this is a problem, be sure to consult your pediatrician or pharmacist...
• Encourage your child to drink fluids to stay hydrated.
• Don't forget to change the diapers of babies and young children in a short period of time.

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Concluding remarks

Urinary tract infection is very common in children and infants and is caused in most cases due to lack of hygiene... If this condition is not diagnosed and treated in time, there is a possibility of serious kidney damage...

Therefore, in this article, we have shared with you useful information about the signs, symptoms, treatment and ways to prevent urinary tract infection in children.. You can share your comments and suggestions with GCORP LLC .

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