Urinary tract infections in babies and children can be caused by some factors such as dehydration; baby's difficulty in emptying the bladder; phimosis in the case of boys; urinary incontinence; urinary reflux, which is when the urine that was already in the bladder returns to the kidney or immaturity of the sphincters that control the outflow of urine.
Some birth defects such as hypospadias or myelomeningocele, for example, can also interfere with the normal functioning of the urinary tract and cause infection of the urine.
Signs of urinary tract infection in the baby
Symptoms of urinary tract infection in infants and children usually include:
- Urine darker than normal; Urine with strong smell; Crying or complaining when urinating; Lack of appetite; Irritability and lack of energy that can cause food refusal; Fever from 37 to 38ºC.
Baby urinary tract infection can be difficult to diagnose because of the symptoms, as the baby can often have only a fever or not have a fever and show other symptoms.
However, the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in a baby can be made by collecting urine through a bag that sticks to the baby's intimate region.
How to treat
The treatment of urinary tract infections in infants and children is done with antibiotics and during urinary tract infection it is important to change the diaper several times a day, give the baby water and keep the diaper well disinfected with alcohol.
The use of baby wipes increases the chances of urinary tract infection in the baby, so you should clean the baby's intimate area with a cotton swab with water or saline solution, keeping it always very clean and dry. In girls, cleaning the intimate area should be done from front to back.
See how food can help treat urinary tract infection in the following video.
