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The baby's urinary tract infection can appear right from the first days of life and it is sometimes not very easy to notice its symptoms, especially as the baby cannot express his discomfort. However, there are some signs to watch out for that may lead parents to suspect a urinary tract infection.
Whenever a urinary tract infection is suspected, it is important to consult your pediatrician to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible, avoiding more serious complications such as problems with kidney function.
Symptoms of urinary tract infection at baby
In babies under 5 months of age the most common symptom is a refusal to eat due to irritability. The baby may cry hungry, but refusing to breastfeed or pushing the bottle are other signs, for example.
Other signs to watch out for include:
- The baby cries or complains when it pees;
- Urine darker than normal;
- Urine with a very intense smell;
- Lack of appetite;
- Irritability.
Sometimes the baby with a urinary tract infection may have only a fever or, in some cases, may have all other symptoms except fever.
The diagnosis of urinary tract infection in a baby is made by collecting urine. When he still wears a diaper, a kind of bag is placed for collecting urine glued to the genital region and waits until the baby pees. This urine test can also detect which microorganism is involved, which is essential for proper treatment.
Treatment of urinary tract infection in a baby
The treatment of urinary tract infection in the baby is done by ingesting antibiotic syrups for 7, 10, 14 or 21 days, depending on the microorganism involved. It is important that the medicine is given to the baby until the last day of treatment, even if there are no more signs or symptoms of infection, according to the pediatrician's guidance, to prevent the urinary infection from coming back.
During this phase, it is also recommended to offer plenty of fluids to the baby and change the diaper several times a day to prevent the baby from having a dirty diaper for a long time, which facilitates the entry of new microorganisms in the urinary tract.
Depending on the microorganism involved, the baby may have to be admitted to the hospital to receive the antibiotic through the vein. Babies younger than 1 month are usually hospitalized to receive proper treatment and maintain more regular surveillance.
How to prevent urinary tract infection
The prevention of urinary tract infections in infants includes some relatively simple measures such as:
- Always keep your baby clean and dry;
- Hygiene the baby's intimate area with a cotton pad with water or saline;
- Avoid wet wipes;
- Clean the girls' intimate region always in the front to back direction to prevent microorganisms from the anal area from reaching the genital region.
Another important tip is to keep the changing table very clean, cleaning it with alcohol after each diaper change and taking the same care with the baby's bathtub.