Urinary tract infection in children: everything we need to know
What is a urinary tract infection?
Urinary tract infection is defined as an infection of the upper or lower urinary tract (kidneys – bladder)
What are the most common signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection in children?
Toddlers and older children >2 years
- Fever
- Reduced feeding
- Pain in the lumbar or abdominal area (below the level of the navel)
- Foul-smelling-cloudy urine
- Dysuria
- Frequent urination
- Hematuria
- Weakness-fatigue
Newborns and infants < 2 years old
- Fever
- Reduced feeding
- Vomiting
- Foul-colored urine
- Reduced weight gain
- Anxiety
- Weakness-fatigue
*If a urinary tract infection is suspected, the Family Pediatrician and/or Pediatric assessment at the on-call hospital should be contacted immediately if deemed necessary for further investigation and treatment!
How is a general urine culture/collection performed?
- Clean catch – method of choice (but not always possible)
- U-bag
- Catheter placement
- Suprapubic bladder puncture
Home instructions after contacting the Family Pediatrician
- Administer antibiotic treatment according to instructions
- Adequate hydration
- Encourage children who control urination to urinate regularly and empty the bladder adequately
- Proper cleaning of the sensitive area
What signs or symptoms will lead us back to the on-call Hospital?
- Persistent fever despite antibiotic treatment
- Severe abdominal pain or pain in the lumbar region
- Inability to take antibiotic treatment
- Laziness-weakness-fatigue
When can we receive the result of the urine culture?
2 days after taking it
When should the child be re-evaluated?
- Each patient will receive individualized instructions based on the clinical picture and examinations following a Pediatric assessment.
When should a Pediatric Nephrology assessment be performed on a child with urinary tract infection?
Pediatric nephrological assessment should be performed:
- In patients with febrile urinary tract infection, especially if there are concomitant congenital anatomical abnormalities of the urinary system, as there is a risk of scarring in the kidneys. In this case, further imaging may be required with kidney-ureter-bladder ultrasound, cystography and renal scintigraphy (DMSA).
- In cases of repeated episodes of cystitis.
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