Possible Uti in 23 Month Old Girl

If I were you, I'd keep her on the antibiotic and blow off the additional test. Like you said, after 8 of the 10 days of medicine, she's almost over it. Give the whole 10 days and if she STILL is having problems, THEN take her in.

Ask them if they will use the catherer instead. My 21 month old was tested for it as well. While it looks like sticking a tube to catch the urine is torture, it is much quicker and your daughter won't be crying for 3 hours. Not even for 5 min. My daughter didn't like the bag either and she kept tugging on it. Not only thst, but when she finally urinated, the bag didn't catch it because it was loose and spilled out. I would just make sure she has drunk fluids right before. Also, the results are better with the catherer fromwhat I was told.

Hi C.,

This may be a little late. I'm new to the site. I don't like giving advice much, but I can tell you one thing I would absolutely to in your situation. Take your little girl back for that test. I'm thinking these mothers who tell you to "blow it off" or "pray" don't have a child who have had UTIs. They are much more serious than what people think.

My daughter started having hers at about 2 years old. Then the bladder reflux started. Now she's six and has had 1 operation and we are looking at a second. She still has fluid built up in her kidneys.

The thing about these UTIs is that your daughter doesn't have to have any symptoms. She can still have one. So even if that fever goes away, the bacteria could still be there. They need to redo the test to see which type of bacteria is growing. And as awful as it sounds, yes, the catheter is a cleaner test than the bag. And a heck of a lot quicker. My daughter has been catheterized several times, and it stinks, but I'd rather that than poor kidney function.

I'd REALLY get that urine rechecked, a lot of times they have to change the medication that they start you out with. These things aren't fun to deal with, but hit them head on. Don't skirt around it and "wait and see".

I agree with a lot of the other moms, I would give her all the antibiotics and see how she is. Listen to your mommy instincts! Is she feeling better since she has been on the antibiotics? If you think it is a UTI you can also give her Cranberry juice to help balance the PH and help clear it up. It could have been some other kind of infection and the antibiotics should help clear that up.

I don't blame you for not wanting to put her through that test again, if I were you I would definitely wait. Let your doctors office know that you are taking the wait and see approach.

Good luck!

If the results were borderline I would not retest her! Please give her probiotics to rebuild her intestinal tract as all her healthy flora are now gone. Go to Whole Foods and they'll steer you to the right product. It's just a white powder that is almost tasteless. Also, fevers, if not too high, are normal, and even healthy as they are a sign the body is fighting off an infection. While they need to be watched, it is actually just the body doing it's job and so it's completely unnatural to give fever reducers.

You are right her uti could very well already be resolved but she may be infected with a bacteria that the antibiotic doesn't work for so I am sure they want to reculture a specimen and make sure she doesn't need a different antibiotic. As for her really hating the bag all I can offer is that sometimes you can put it on first thing in the am and hopefully she won't have to wear it long...good luck!

C. -

It is rediculous to put your baby through this - and she is on meds anyway - don't do it again. Just keep her on the meds and watch her for a day - or two and if she isn't better then maybe there is something else wrong with her.

It may be a virus also. I would wait as long as her fever isn't over 101-102, and see if this passes. Also it is great to talk to some of the ladies in People's Pharmacy - the one in Westlake, they specialize with children there and will be able to help you if you call - they are fantastic!

Good luck,
Alli

Hello!

My eleven month old was diganosed with a UTI. She had fever for seven days until they figured it out. She too had to have the bag thing twice..it's not fun, although having a UTI is much worse. I will say that at the begining of her UTI she was on one type of antibiotics, although due to the sesitivity of the UTI they had to change it to a stronger version. It is best to take her in, just to make sure it is not sensitive to the antibiotic she is currently on. If the UTI is then it will only go away for a while then come back full force.

Also even after she was on two different antibiotics the drs. still wanted me to take her in for a thrid test. I did...and I am happy about it...they really need to make sure it doesn't come back. it can be a huge problem if left undiagnosed. Please take her in...the bag is not that bad...having reaccuring UTI's is bad

Good Luck

I feel like I have to say something about the terrible advice several people are giving you saying to not catheterize or to not test again. My daughter had stage 2 kidney reflux, had we not tested or catheterized her to test we never would've found out. Her kidneys are vital organs and missing a diagnosis because of avoiding the test is just terrible. You need to ask your doctor what they think. Kidney reflux usually does correct itself, my daughter had her last test at age 4 and it had corrected itself. Please just don't ignore it.

If she is already being treated for the UTI why let them do it again? I wouldn't. I have been thru both the bag and the cath to collect urine for my daughter and it was a tramatic experience both ways. It was over 7 months ago that we had to do that and she is still scared to death of her doctor, whom she loved before. Having to hold her down while they get which ever one in place, is absolutely horrible. If she is already on antibiotics, I would just opt to finish taking them and go from there. Definately talk to the dr or nurse about it and ask them if that is an option because you don't wnat to put her through that again.

Good luck!!

D. Mattern-Muck
The MOM Team
Raise your income and your rugrats at the same time!
www.formyrugrats.com

My daughter had the same issue--she had to have the bag for urine and the bag for feces--unfortunately she decided she just couldn't go with the bags on so we ended up having to do both twice--SIX HOUR--three at home and 3 at the office. we finally took her in an exam room and took everything off but the bag and let her walk around and the cool air made her go finally, but if we had waited she would have to have been admitted to the hospital. We thought it might be a UIT but my doctor wanted to be sure it wasn't something more serious. When the doctor finally got what she wanted it was almost a week too and the results thankfully only meant for us to take her off the antibiotic--she was a little dehydrated. I was beyond aggravated, but it could have been worse. Once I was able to speak to the doctor instead of every other nurse, she told me that I could have ended up admitting her to the hospital for tests there which would have been more invasive when the ones she did had the same results. I have to agree--my daughter was a little over a year old at the time and it would have been worse for her and us--and our pocketbook. I wish I could tell you something more, but hang tight. And, ask a lot of questions of your doctor.

J. in Texas--mother of a 2 year old

I would call and ask the nurse...because I wanted the doctor's office to culture my throat and they said they couldn't do it because I had already been on antibiotics.

They wouldn't get the results back until after she was done with the medicine.

Call and ask before you put her through the trauma again.
{{{{hugs}}}}

Its tough having to put a 23 month old through all of that, but I think you need to stick it out and find out if she does or does not have a UTI.

The reason why the doctors probably need to know for sure is that, with your daughter being so young; if she does have a UTI there is a high probability of her having a condition called Urethral Reflux. Which is a condition where the urine goes back up toward the kidneys everytime the child pee's. This condition has different grade levels and if sever enough it can cause damage to the kidneys and be very damaging.
I know all of this because my son was diagnosed with this condition before he was a year old. It was a horrible process and instead of the doctors just putting a bag in his diaper (I wish they would have done this) they had to do multiple cath's on him, which really tramatized him. He was deathly afriad of the doctors for years! I can tell you about his diagnosis some time if you want.

Stick it out because in the long run this little bit of discomfort will tell you if you will have a longer run of discomfort in the future!!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me!