Urinary tract infections: Can babies get them?
UTIs can affect babies but are usually easy to treat. Here’s what you need to know.
There is a list of health concerns that parents might consider when their baby is fussy and irritable, from offering them breastmilk to checking their fever to looking for signs of inconsistent bowel movements. One infection that might not cross your mind when your baby is unwell is a urinary tract infection (UTI). However, UTIs are fairly common in young babies, says Dr Sheethal Ramsunder, a paediatrician in Pretoria.
What are the signs and symptoms in babies?
Take note if your baby has a fever but no other obvious signs and symptoms. “UTIs must always be ruled out in a child with a fever of no obvious cause,” says Dr Ramsunder. She adds that if your baby has a fever that does not have an obvious source, like an ear infection or chest infection, their urine should be checked for infection. “In infants, especially newborn babies, the symptoms of a UTI can be very nonspecific. Irritability, fever, vomiting, lethargy, poor appetite and diarrhoea may occur.”
Dr Ramsunder says that UTIs are more common in girls because of their shorter urinary tract (i.e. the distance from their bladder to the outside in girls is shorter than in boys).
Are the signs and symptoms different for toddlers?
Dr Ramsunder says that in older children, especially those who can explain what they are feeling, it may be easier to tell that they have a UTI.
She says that symptoms can include:
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Lethargy
• Tummy pain
• Pain when passing urine
• Urine with an odd smell or colour
• Needing to pass urine more often than normal
• A sudden urgent need to urinate with no prior warning
• Waking up at night more often to pass urine.
How can UTIs in babies and toddlers be treated?
If it is the first time your baby or toddler has a UTI, Dr Ramsunder says that their paediatrician will likely need to do a thorough check. “All children with a first urinary tract infection need an ultrasound to rule out any underlying abnormalities of the urinary system.”
The way in which UTIs are treated and the time it takes for the child to recover depends on the age of the child and how severe the infection is, says Dr Ramsunder.
“Infants and those with severe infections, especially those that involve the kidneys, may need up to 10-14 days of antibiotics through a drip in hospital,” she says, highlighting that the recovery time in young babies is often longer than in older children. “Milder infections, especially in older children, may be treated with antibiotics.”
If left untreated, could UTIs cause any other health issues?
Yes, they can, says Dr Ramsunder, emphasising that it is important not to ignore the signs of a urinary tract infection, especially in children. “Untreated or incompletely treated urinary tract infections can damage the kidneys of a growing child,” she adds.
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