Hi ladies,
My son has been having temp anywhere from 99.7-100.3 in the past few days and is acting more irritable than usual. The doctor suggested we do a urine test to see if he doesn't have a UTI. I was too worried to catherize him so I asked to have a plastic bag. They just called me and said that the urine culture came back with "multiple organisms" which is probably because it's contaminated and that we need to come in and repeat it tomorrow. I think I'll go with another bag but just in case they want to catherize him... did anyone else has their baby catherized at this young age? How was it? I am just worried it will hurt him a lot.
We repeated urine test again in a urine bag, not catheter. Urine dipstick was done in the office and was normal and then they sent urine for u/a and urine culture and the result came back in two days - normal. I am glad he did not have to be catherized needlessly. I think if he was crying when urinating, had blood in urine, temp would be going up I would consider catheter but not otherwise.
my daughter had to have that done at about that age and it really was not as big of a deal as I expected. In fact I would have to say that she didn't mind it any more then a normal diaper change.
I have had to cath my daughter a half dozen times to check for UTI. She has such severe uritary reflux any temp over 101 we are under strict orders to test her urine. Having worked with my pediatritian, as well our pediatric urologist the consensus is, don't bag EVER. Don't even know why a nurse would offer it, it renders inclusive results. A cath shouldn't hurt too bad if done by an experienced nurse, but it does not keep them from screaming their heads off during the procedure.
eta: the worst is when they go in and there is no urine because the kids peed while waiting for the nurse. have them drink like crazy even if it means offering juice. Start with a dry diaper before going to the dr and know the status of their last urination to prevent them from having to do it multiple times.
lots of medical tests hurt.. but if he does have a UTI.. it is better to find out and treat him than let the infection spread to his kidneys and then he will be hospitalized with an IV that will really hurt.
I would let them do the catheterize him so they can get an accurate urine sample and treat him.
if he continues to run fevers.. he might need additional tests.
They are extra gentle with infants. I would let them catheterize him. If it gets worse, it will hurt more for him to wait and then end up having to have it when the infection is worse. Better to let them do it now so that you know and can get him better. Just go out of the room for a min. so they can do it. It will be ok.
I have been catheterized several times. It hurts less than a stubbed toe, as Riley said. My mother had to be catheterized when she was in her 80's when I was present. She didn't even flinch. Of course your son will cry but I suggest it's not so much because of pain but because he's uncomfortable. He cries, at times, when you change his diaper. Would you stop changing his diaper? In the scheme of things it's important to do the catheter because his health is at risk.
My son had a UTI when he was only 7 weeks old. We took him to the ER because he had a temp of 101 (which can be very dangerous for a baby that young). They did a catheter and I had to leave the room because it was too hard for me to watch. He did have a UTI and we were able to get him on antibiotics right away.
His Dr. told me (Dr. Sears btw) that it's more accurate with a catheter. If you use a bag, it will always come back positive because there is bacteria in the bag. It's not 100% clean. I would do the catheter just to be on the safe side.
I would ask the doctor more questions about why he thinks it is a UTI rather than a virus or other cause. This is cold and flu season, after all. His fever isn't very high. If he has a fever for more than 3 days or if the fever goes up over 100.5, I would just put him right on antibiotics before I would inflict a catheter on a baby that little. Why torture him if it isn't necessary? If it is a virus, it will resolve. If it is an infection, UTI or otherwise, the fever will either go away or it may get worse. I am not one to jump to medications, but if logic points to infection, just treat for it. It's not like he would be taking some scary meds, probably just amoxicillin (sp?) or similar.
I was concerned about a UTI when my son was about 9 months. I had a very recently wet diaper that they tested, and the nurse said that she was so glad we wouldn't have to cath him. If it is necessary for surgery, of course you do it! But for this, I would be at NO WAY.
My son had surgery at 4 weeks. He had a catheter. It wasn't that bad. I was terrible when he was 12 months.
If to a bad ut, go for an ultrasound and make sure then kidneys are OK.
He has such a low grade fever, and being irritable really isn't at all reason enough for me to agree to a catheter. If he were screaming in pain or at least behaving like he were in discomfort when he's urinating, then I'd say, "Okay, the bag isn't worth it but to confirm the UTI we'll catheterize." It doesn't sound as if that's the case at all. It sounds like the pediatrician is shooting darts in the dark.
All the low grade fever means is that his body is doing its job and is fighting an illness which is either bacterial (something an antibiotic can help) or something viral (something an antibiotic won't help).
I think the responsible thing to do would be to wait and see. Wait and see if his fever goes down on its own after doing its job. Wait and see if his fussiness is happening when he's urinating or it's because of body aches and he just feels "off" and needs rest and snuggles.
Not everything needs to be medicated or treated with antibiotics. You don't want to just go ahead with a catheter because they ARE painful... they're painful for GIRLS at that age. I know. I have three girls. You also don't want to just go ahead and give him antibiotics that may or may not be necessary because if it's a viral infection, then it has to run its course anyway AND that means you're giving a useless medication that his body will be building a tolerance for.
I know it's hard when they're little and can't tell us, but watch your son's body language. Wait and see will be the best approach, plus feeding him as much as he's willing to eat and snuggling him and making sure he rests and naps and gets to stay home.
My son had a catheter around that age, and to be honest I don't recall what they were checking for, but my pediatrician wouldn't allow the bag and told my I either allow the cath or they would puncture his abdomin into his bladder with a needle in order to get a sample, so I felt forced to allow the cath. It really wasn't a big deal. He didn't cry and a well trained person did it. I did switch doctors for him though.
