A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria is introduced into the urinary tract, which consists of the kidneys, bladder, tubes called ureters that connect the kidneys to the bladder, and the urethra, the tube leading outside of the body from the bladder. Urinary tract infections are common in patients of all ages. However, this type of infection is not always easy to diagnose in babies, who are too young to explain the symptoms. Very often, a fever with no known cause is the only symptom of this type of infection in babies. Treatment with antibiotics is almost always necessary.
Urinary tract infections in babies can occasionally have symptoms other than fever. However, any fever in infants should be reported to a doctor right away. Sometimes a parent may notice that the baby cries or shows other signs of distress when urinating. This is often a sign of a urinary tract infection.
Other possible signs of urinary tract infections in babies may include dark or cloudy urine or urine that smells a little odd. These symptoms can sometimes point to dehydration but are often signs of a urinary tract infection. There may sometimes be a small amount of blood, often causing the urine to appear pink. Regardless of the cause, these symptoms are not normal and should be reported to the doctor right away.
Urinary tract infections in babies may lead to a refusal to eat in some babies. Others may vomit for no apparent reason or merely become irritable and difficult to console. These symptoms should be reported to a physician whether or not a fever is present.
When seeing a doctor concerning urinary tract infections in babies, the doctor may ask a lot of questions concerning the symptoms noticed by the caregivers, including whether there is a family history of urinary tract infections or other kidney-related issues. A urine test may then be ordered to confirm the suspected diagnosis. This test only takes a few minutes to perform, and the results are available immediately. In some cases, a culture may be sent to the lab to verify the precise type of bacteria responsible for the infection.
When testing for urinary tract infections in babies, a small tube called a catheter is often inserted into the bladder in order to obtain a sterile urine specimen. Rarely, a needle is inserted into the bladder from the lower portion of the abdomen in order to obtain the urine sample, but the use of a catheter is more common. Once the infection is diagnosed, liquid antibiotics are prescribed, and a return visit is scheduled to make sure the infection is gone after the antibiotic treatment has been completed.
