Cystitis in children: early symptoms and effective remedies
Cystitis in children can have many causes. In any case, at the first symptoms it is always good to inform the pediatrician who will be able to recommend the most appropriate therapy. Don't worry: cystitis is very common in children but it shouldn't be underestimated. Indeed, to keep her away from your baby, teach him all the rules of proper hygiene. It is never too early to learn good hygiene habits, watch the video!
The triggers of cystitis in children
Girls' cystitis can be fueled by vulvovaginitis, since the urinary area is very close to the genital one. However, most urinary tract infections are caused by intestinal bacteria (especially Escherichia Coli) which can easily reach the urinary tract area through the faeces. Escherichia coli is the bacterium that causes cystitis in children in 75% of cases. It is not the only microorganism that triggers urinary infections; other Gram-negative bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumonia or positive bacteria such as some streptococci and staphylococci are also responsible for cystitis. Therefore, first of all, children must be taught the importance of adequate intimate hygiene. All bladder infections, including cystitis, can be contracted by children of all ages, especially girls (as is the case with adults) and school-aged children. This bacterial infection has various causes, sometimes concomitant. Urinary tract infections can be traced back to abnormalities and alterations of the urinary system, kidneys and bladder; in the presence of diabetes; to an obstruction of the urinary tract; at a vesicourethral reflux; to a drop in the immune system; poor intimate hygiene.
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Symptoms of cystitis in children
The symptoms are very different depending on the age of the child. For infants and very young children we have: fever, vomiting, gastrointestinal disorders, low weight gain, crying when urinating, jaundice, redness between the thighs, drowsiness, lack of appetite, nervousness. After the age of two, symptoms are quite similar to those of adolescent or adult patients: difficulty urinating, needing to urinate more frequently than usual, but with a small amount of urine (pollakiuria), burning or stinging during difficult urination ( stranguria), water retention, hematuria, pyuria, nocturnal enuresis (involuntary emission of urine that occurs during sleep), cloudy and odorless urine, lumbar and pubic pain, bladder tenesmus. The latter disorder is a contraction of the bladder sphincter: unwanted urine may leak. It is associated with the other symptoms of cystitis, even with an increased need for nocturnal urination (nocturia). Cystitis can also be asymptomatic and randomly diagnosed during routine testing. However, bacterial cystitis must be diagnosed promptly and treated appropriately, as it could also involve the genital and upper urinary tract (pyelonephritis). Obviously, if the child has these symptoms, it is necessary to consult the pediatrician for a diagnosis and adequate therapy.
Diagnosis and treatment of cystitis
For diagnosis, the symptoms must be analyzed, then urinalysis is carried out, in order to establish the presence of the infection, and urine culture, to choose the most suitable therapy to kill pathogens. Usually the disorder is easily resolved , especially if the appropriate therapy is practiced. Since it is a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be used. Amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalosporins, for example cefixime, are used to treat cystitis in children. oral or parenterally.The dosage is established by the specialist based on the weight and age of the child, the type of drug based on the analyzes performed. If the child has a high fever, the doctor may prescribe antipyretics, such as acetaminophen. Very useful for the treatment of this disorder are the supplements for cystitis of children based on pure D-Mannose.
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Prevention is always the best possible cure
Prevention can be very useful, if not entirely sufficient, in avoiding the manifestation of cystitis in children. Simple rules must be followed carefully to avoid the proliferation of bacteria that may be the cause of a "urinary tract infection, a disorder that creates discomfort and which in any case should not be underestimated. It is necessary to change the baby's diaper very frequently, to avoid the onset of bacterial cystitis. Children must be educated in daily and correct intimate hygiene at least twice a day and especially after defecation; never use bubble baths for the genital areas, but only intimate cleansers that have a non-aggressive pH ; to drink a lot during the day even if they are not thirsty (at least half a liter during the morning); to never hold back urine and always empty the bladder, if they feel the need, as due to the lack of emptying it can become infected. obese or overweight children must drink a lot and urinate often. For those who no longer wear a diaper it is advisable to use cotton underwear and not synthetic. Constipation is one of the factors that most predispose to this type of infections. Therefore, it is necessary for children to consume foods that regulate the intestine, such as apples, pears, cooked fruit, kiwis and vegetable purees. If it recurs often, female cystitis can be favored by vulvovaginitis, since the genital area is close to the urinary one.
Urinary tract infections: urinalysis and instrumental examinations
These infections are caused by the presence of bacteria. The risk is greater in females than males due to the proximity of the rectum to the urethra. They are divided into: Asymptomatic bacteriuria, with low virulence bacteria, without symptoms; diagnosed occasionally during analysis Urinary tract infections such as acute cystitis and recurrent cystitis. Acute cystitis can be caused by infections of the genital organs. The fever is not very high, but leads to disturbances in urinating, sometimes with the presence of blood, even coagulated, after urination. ESR and TAS are little altered. Ultrasound examination can detect bladder thickening. The second, recurrent one, is frequent in older girls, often associated with mild vesicoureteral reflux, vaginitis, synechiae of the labia minora and constipation. ament based on drugs that regulate the muscles of the bladder. Upper urinary tract infection or acute pyelonephritis (PNA) is of greater concern, leading to high fever, with chills and pains in the abdomen and loins. The risk of contracting UTIs, urinary tract infections, is higher in male infants, due to possible and more frequent malformations of the urinary tract. On the other hand, in school-age children the risk is greater in girls, since the urethra is closer to the rectum.
These infections usually have a bacterial origin. Rarer are those of viral origin, such as fungal cystitis and adenovirus hemorrhagic cystitis. Certain diagnosis is based on positive urine culture and a complete urine test, which must be performed before starting therapy with antibiotics, otherwise the test is false. To obtain certain results, the urine must be collected by means of a bag and the collection by means of an "intermediate mitto". From these tests, urine culture and complete urinalysis it is not possible to deduce whether it is a strong or less strong infection. The indices of inflammation given by the ESR and by the PCR can instead give us indications on the level of infection. Among the instrumental tests we have renal ultrasound. This test should always be done on a child who has suffered from urinary tract infections. Classic voiding cystography is a test that excludes vesicoureteral reflux. Renal scintigraphy can be performed if the doctor deems it necessary in certain circumstances, to highlight with a specific method a momentary reflux that is not highlighted with the voiding cystography. Lower urinary tract infections are usually treated with oral antibiotics, always to be administered after carrying out the necessary analyzes, as antibacterial therapy usually prevents the identification of the pathogen of the infection. Therapy for an upper urinary tract infection (acute pyelonephritis), also in this case, should be administered after urinalysis and after a blood culture, for about ten days orally, but also intravenously and intramuscularly.
Never rely on chance and what you read though: at the first symptoms, both for you and for your child, consult your doctor!
