Young children are as sensitive as they are carefree which leave them susceptible to a number of infections and health concerns that demand special care and attention constantly. In the initial few years of their life, kids generally tend to catch a lot of bugs. Cold and other infections hence become extremely common among them. One of the most severe infections that can be happen to kids is that of urinary tract infection (UTI). While it is mostly believed that UTI occurs only in adults, it has been reported that up to 8% of girls and 2% of boys get a UTI by the age of 5 years.
The urinary tract of the body includes the bladder and kidneys along with the tubes that connect them. When germs find a way into the urinary tract, infection is caused. In kids, UTI usually occurs when bacteria from their skin or poop enter the urinary tract and multiply. Girls are more likely to get UTI as their urethra is shorter, which makes it easier for the bacteria from the anus to easily enter the vagina and urethra. In the case of boys, those who are not circumcised have a slightly higher risk of UTIs. Children with a problem called reflux (vesicoureteral reflux or VUR) are more at the risk of infections. At times some children are even born with this problem or other birth defects of the urinary system that lead to reflux.
Some children are more likely to get UTIs if they already have some problem with their bladder or kidneys. Urine flow tends to block and germs get a chance to multiply due to the narrowing in the urinary tract.
What enhances the trouble is that the symptoms of this infection are hard to notice in kids. However, it is very crucial that the child receives adequate treatment on time before the UTI transforms into a more serious kidney infection.
If the UTI happens in older kids, the symptoms are mostly clear. The main symptoms being:
• Lower belly pain
• Back or side pain
• An urgent need to pee or frequent peeing
• Some kids also lose control over their bladder, and may wet the bed
• Drops of blood might also be seen in the urine, or the urine is pink
However when it comes to younger children, very careful attention and observation is required to take note of these symptoms. When it comes to infants, the symptoms are likely to be more general including:
Contributed by Dr Antony Robert Charles, Consultant Paediatric Surgery, Columbia Asia Hospital Hebbal
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