Pine Smart Diaper Blog
Fever in Children
Fever in infants and children, especially high fever, is understandably an important cause of fear and panic for parents. With the idea that being able to better understand and interpret fever and its causes, and knowing what to do in such a situation will comfort new parents. We briefly talked about fever and its causes in children and babies and what can be done in case of high fever in this blog post.
Causes of Fever in Children and Infants
Fever, which is usually a harbinger of an underlying disease, means that the body is fighting a disease and the immune system is working. The most common cause of fever in babies is infections caused by viruses and bacteria.
A high fever can be a symptom of a possible cold or a harbinger of another viral infection. In addition to common cold and viral infections, more serious infections such as urinary tract infections, ear infections, blood bacterial infection or meningitis can also cause fever. In children, urinary tract infection is the second most common cause of fever after respiratory tract infections. Studies have shown that fever is a very important symptom in urinary tract infections, but there may be situations where it is not seen.
Apart from the reasons we have mentioned above, excessive wrapping of babies, rheumatic and prolonged exposure to the sun can also cause fever.
How Much Fever Is Normal?
Fever is a normal physiological symptom that develops in any situation that the immune system sees as a danger. Considering the studies conducted, it is thought that the fever is harmless below 104F. When the fever rises above 105F, its harmful effects begin to appear.
What can be done when fever occurs in babies and children?
Although fever started as part of the body's healing process, it can bring many side effects if it gets too high. Therefore, it should be taken under control. The aim of the treatment of high fever rather than returning the body temperature to normal; to reach a body temperature level at which older children feel good and young children relax. Ideally, in case of high fever, a doctor should be consulted, and fever control should be achieved with paracetamol or similar drugs recommended by the doctor.
For home intervention, attention should be paid to sufficient fluid intake to prevent dehydration (fluid loss), especially in case of fever. At the same time, loose and thin clothes should be worn to prevent the fever from getting higher and lower. In cases where adequate improvement cannot be achieved, a warm water dressing should be applied or a shower should be taken. (Extreme cold shower should be avoided.)
Meta Description : What are the causes of fever in children and babies? What can be done in case of high fever? You can find answers to these questions and more in our blog post.
Urinary Tract Infection in Children
Although urinary tract infection, which manifests itself in the form of inflammatory conditions in the urinary tract, is a condition that can be easily treated unless it reaches serious dimensions, it is important for parents to have information on this issue, since symptoms may be difficult to understand, especially in young children.
In this article, we have listed the basic information you need to know about urinary tract infections in children and infants.
Statistics
• On average, 3 out of 100 children have urinary tract infections.
• Compared to adults or older children, young children have a higher risk of kidney damage due to urinary tract infection. Babies younger than one year old are more likely to be affected by a urinary tract infection.
• In the first few months of life, the prevalence of urinary tract infections is higher in boys than girls. However, one year after birth, the prevalence of urinary tract infections in girls is higher than in boys, and the risk continues to increase among girls from childhood to adolescence.
About the disease
The disease is generally divided into two as upper urinary tract infection and lower urinary tract infection. When the infection is in the kidneys or ureters, it is referred to as an upper urinary tract infection. When the infection is diagnosed in the bladder or urethra, it is called lower urinary tract infection.
Symptoms
• Urinary tract infections in young children are usually asymptomatic (asymptomatic); However, sometimes symptoms such as fever, vomiting or decreased appetite can be seen. Infection usually occurs in the bladder.
• In children with bladder infections, the urine may appear cloudy with a strong odor and may mix with blood. Children may urinate frequently and may feel a burning sensation during urination. They may experience weakness, pain or pressure in the lower back or pelvis.
• The younger the child's age, the more difficult it is to notice symptoms. In young babies, fever, vomiting, restlessness, inability to gain weight, different color or smell in the urine may be seen. In older children, complaints such as fever, abdominal pain, frequent urination but less urination, burning sensation when urinating, bloody urine, urinary incontinence can be observed.
• If the fever is too high; If there are complaints of vomiting and flank pain, pyelonephritis (kidney inflammation) may be considered. In this case, treatment should be started immediately to avoid damage to the kidneys.
• Babies and children with persistent urinary tract infections may experience a delay in weight gain and development due to anorexia.
• Symptoms are slightly more subtle in babies one month old. Important symptoms such as decrease or increase in body temperature, decrease in breastfeeding, unresponsiveness can be observed.
Meta Description : You can find what you wonder about issues such as urinary tract infection in children and babies, its incidence, symptoms and effects, in this blog post.
Urinary Tract Symptoms in Children
Urinary problems and injuries are a concern in children. Young children may not be able to tell their parents about their symptoms, which can make it difficult to decide what they need. Older children may be ashamed of their symptoms. If your child has a urinary problem or injury, you need to understand all of their symptoms before deciding what to do.
Common Symptoms
Urethra, bladder, ureters and kidneys are structures that make up the urinary tract.
Pain when urinating (dysuria) and the need to urinate frequently are common symptoms in young children. When your child has only one of these symptoms or the symptoms are mild, home treatment may be all it takes to prevent the problem from getting worse and to help alleviate the symptoms. Some of the mild symptoms are:
• Frequent need to urinate - Remember here that a child's bladder is small and does not hold as much as an adult's bladder. That's why frequent urination is common and doesn't necessarily have to be a sign of a urinary problem. Your child may also urinate more because he or she drinks extra fluids, feels nervous or just habitual.
• Burning when urine comes into contact with irritated skin around the vagina or urethra - Pain during urination due to skin irritation is more common in girls (genital skin irritation) than in boys.
Urinary tract infection
Pain when urinating and the need to urinate frequently can also mean your child has a urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common bacterial infection in children. When your child has an infection, the bacteria grows in the bladder and irritates the bladder wall. As soon as a very small amount of urine reaches the bladder, it causes pain. You may find that your child is urinating more often than normal to soothe the pain. However, your child will be able to urinate very little because the bladder has collected only a small amount since the last urine.
For more detailed information about urinary tract infection, Review our blog post.
Urine Color and Smell
Many factors can affect the color of urine, including fluid balance, diet, medications and certain diseases. How dark or light the color is basically shows how much water is in it. Vitamin B supplements can turn urine bright yellow. Foods such as blackberries, beets, some medications used or blood in the urine can turn the urine into a red-brown color.
Certain foods (such as asparagus), vitamins and various antibiotics (such as penicillin) can cause a different odor in the urine. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause a sweet, fruity odor. A urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause a foul odor.
Symptoms in Infants and Children Under 2 Years Old
Infants and very young children with urinary tract inflammation often have symptoms that do not appear specific to the urinary tract. Some of the symptoms that can be watched for are:
Fever - especially without other signs of infection such as cough or runny nose.
• Frequent or infrequent urination,
Heavy or foul-smelling urine,
Dark or blood streaked urine,
• Lack of interest in eating or refusing to eat,
•Diarrhea,
•Vomiting,
• Writhing and irritability,
• Diaper rash that doesn't go away…
Note : It is common for newborns to urinate pink in the first 3 days of life. This may be from crystals in the urine.
Symptoms in Children 2 Years and Older
Young children with urinary tract infections often have symptoms more clearly associated with the urinary tract. Some of those:
• Burning with urination (dysuria). This is the most common symptom of urinary tract infection.
•Fire,
• The need to urinate frequently without being able to urinate much,
• A strong urge to urinate (urgency),
Heavy or foul-smelling urine,
• Blood in the urine (hematuria). Note: Urine color may appear pink, red, or brown.
Belly pain,
Pain felt just below the rib cage and above the waist on one or both sides of the back,
•Vomiting,
• Discharge from the vagina,
• Sudden daytime wetting that reappears in children who have been toilet trained .
Urinary tract infections can be caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), which are normally found in the digestive system, into the urinary tract.
The two common types of UTI are:
• Bladder infections occur when bacteria enter the bladder by moving towards the urethra.
• Kidney infections usually occur when bacteria travel from the bladder to the ureters and enter the kidneys. A kidney infection can also occur if bacteria from an infection in another part of the body travel through the bloodstream to the kidneys.
General information:
• Girls have more urinary problems than boys, except for the first 3 months of life. Girls are also more likely than boys to have more than one UTI.
• Babies and young children who have problems with the structure or function of their urinary tract may be more likely to have a UTI. A problem such as vesicoureteral reflux or a blockage in the urinary tract can make it difficult to empty the bladder completely. This will allow bacteria to grow and spread more easily through the urinary system. These may be at birth (congenital) or may be the result of surgery, injury, or past infections.
• In the first year of life, men are anatomically more prone to urinary problems than girls. If your child has a known structural or functional problem with the urinary tract, follow your doctor's instructions for when to look for urinary symptoms.
• In rare cases, urinary symptoms may indicate a more serious illness such as diabetes.
• An injury such as a blow to the back or genital area can cause urinary problems. If your child has difficulty urinating, cannot urinate or has blood in his urine, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
• Check your child's symptoms to decide if and when your child will see a doctor.
Description : It is not always easy to notice urinary problems in children and babies. You can find common symptoms of urinary problems in our article.