Q7)
Is urinary infection dangerous? What complications can occur?
A7) Urinary tract infection can be dangerous if treated late
or incompletely (because of late diagnosis) and if recurrences
occur, or if there are underlying defects or diseases of kidneys
which are undiagnosed. Permanent renal scars due to recurrent
UTI lead to high BP, chronic renal failure (requiring kidney transplant),
growth failure, anemia in adolescents and young adults and toxemia
of pregnancy in women who had urinary infections in childhood.
Q8)
My elder child suffered from frequent UTI. How do I take care
that it doesn’t occur in the younger one?
A8)
If your elder child suffered from UTI, the younger one need not
get UTI because it is not hereditary. All the measures, which
are advised to prevent recurrence of UTI, can be started from
infancy to prevent the first UTI.
Q9)
Is it necessary to treat UTI in child?
A9)
Yes, it is mandatory to treat UTI in childhood, because if
untreated your child may develop kidney damage.
Q10) Will my child have any problems as an adult if he has UTI
in childhood?
A10)
Kidney damage or scars lead to high BP, renal failure, growth
failure, anemia. In a girl, it may recur during menstrual cycles,
after marriage and during pregnancy, which may lead to toxemia
of pregnancy.
Q11)
How often is a urine test required? Is there no other way to detect
UTI?
A11)
Urine test especially culture is only way to diagnose UTI. It
is better to repeat urine test after completing the course of
antibiotics to ensure that UTI is cleared.
Q12)
How do I collect urine in my child?
A12)
In a sterile bottle from laboratory after cleaning the urinary
area with soap and water thoroughly you allow a few drops of urine
to flow and take the mid-stream of urine directly in the bottle,
seal and send to the lab within 1 hour. This is possible if child
is above 3 – 4 years and co – operative. Pre-sterilized
urine collection bags which can be fixed around urethral openings
are available for younger children especially girls for sterile
collection of urine for culture.
Q13)
Any dietary precautions required?
A13)
No dietary precaution except plenty of fluid intake is advised
for UTI.
Q14)
What are the other investigations required?
A14)
As mentioned earlier a number of birth defects of kidneys especially
obstruction to the flow of urine are associated with recurrent
UTI. If investigations like
ultrasonography of kidneys,
urinary bladder are not done, these defects remain undiagnosed.
Recurrent UTI in most cases (50 – 75%) are due to undiagnosed
defects which require long term medicines and surgical treatment
to relieve obstruction.
Last
updated on 23-08-2001
