UTI?

[Rachels]

I'm wondering whether Abby has a UTI. She has been fussy and a little pale and feels a bit warm although not hot enough that I've needed to take her temperature yet. But she will be sitting around or playing happily and then suddenly burst into sobs and ask for a new diaper. It finally occurred to me this afternoon that it is probably burning when she urinates. She doesn't seem to have a rash. How in the world are UTIs diagnosed in toddlers? What should I do?

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!

[Marisa6826]

Your ped will likely do what's called a "clean catch" of urine to test a sample. Basically they retrieve it with a catheter. It's very quick - less than two minutes.

Have you tried giving her cranberry juice?

Check this out:

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsConditions/UrinaryTractInfectioninWomencc.html

I'd definitely call the Ped so you don't end up dealing with a kidney infection.

hugs

-m

[shishamo]

UTI is actually very common in girls between 2-4, according to my pediatrician, due to the fact that the girls this age are just getting the hang of wiping (and not doing a great job). I'm sorry Abby is feeling bad! Can she pee in a cup? That's what we were asked to do so that they can do a urine dip test.

[Rachels]

She's not potty trained yet-- just getting interested, so she's still in diapers. She can't pee on command yet. The catheter makes me squirm, but I was hospitalized once for over a week with a kidney infection that just about shut down my kidney, so I won't take chances. :(

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!

[kthomp]

Rachel,

Ally had a UTI last year. Her biggest symptom was a very high fever, I didn't notice any other signs. We took her to the ER when the fever went up really high and they did the cath when it didn't look like she had an ear infection. She was on antibiotics for 10 days and she was fine.

We had to go to the ped for a recheck after she was done with the antibiotics. They taped a little bag on her and waited for her to pee, so they didn't have to do a repeat cath. Ask your ped, maybe that is an option. Caths are so awful for the little ones.

I would definitely call the ped, UTI's are not something to mess around with. Make sure to ask about the "pee baggie". I hope that Abby is feeling better soon!

[Elilly]

The bags are called "pedi-bags". They have an adhesive to attach to the skin so that the urine is colelcted in there rather than the diaper. It's nice in theory but doesn't always work esp. if the doctor wants a culture too. If she had a UTI, I would expect to see some blood in the urine by now but that is not always the case. Also, it will have a very distinct odor. It will almost smell like stool since most UTIs in children are from fecal contamination (E. coli). HTH.

[Droopymom]

Oh poor thing!I hope she is feeling better soon.I work in the ER and if you do have to take her to the ped I would ask if they can put a hat in the toilet and have her sit on the toilet and try to get her to urinate in that.It is kind of like a bed pan but they put it under the seat and all you have to do is try and have her use the bathroom.It is very painless and every time they need a sample from my daughter that is what we do.Also if her urine is very dark,has a bad odor to it ,or you see a small amount of blood then I would say she probably has a UTI.

Cranberry juice is great for UTI/kidney infections,but the down fall to that is it is hard to find 100%cranberry juice.They do have cranberry in a pill form at health food stores,so that may be something you can look into.Also offer her alot of water and stay away from juices that have alot of sugar.

Good luck to the both of you,

Jenn