Urinary Tract Infections In Young Girls – Being Parents

One of the most common problems in women is urinary tract infections . Young girls can also catch them and are also prone to the negative effects caused by bacteria. How to prevent and treat urinary tract infections?

The human urinary system is made up of three main organs:

• The urethra,  which is the tube through which urine is expelled from the bladder to the outside.
• The bladder  is the pocket for storing urine.
• The kidneys,  which are responsible for removing waste and water from the blood, thus forming urine.

A urinary tract infection is the invasion and proliferation of bacteria,  fungi, viruses, parasites or microbes in one or more of these organs of the urinary system.

The area where infection is most common is the bladder and the most common means of infection is through the ascending tract. In other words, the infection usually starts in the bladder and then goes up. Hence the importance of detecting and treating this disease in time to prevent bacteria from reaching the kidneys and causing serious problems.

Causes of urinary tract infections in young girls

UTIs in young girls are more common when they are younger than four years old. This is a fairly common disease in women in general. But don’t worry too much because these infections can be easily prevented and treated.

The main cause of infection can be explained by the location and arrangement of the female anatomy. A woman’s urethra is shorter than a man’s and closer to the anus. As a result, germs travel a shorter distance to reach the urinary tract.

The bacteria that produce the most UTIs is called escherichia coli . It is a microorganism that lives naturally in our intestines and is also found in our stool. Therefore, it can easily travel from the anus to the urethra and produce an infection.

The risk of infections increases considerably if the girl has the habit of wiping herself back and forth when she goes to the bathroom. Urinary tract infections in young girls mostly occur in the hot summer months. Here are the variables to take into account with high temperatures:

• Germs multiply faster with heat. The higher the temperature, the faster the proliferation.
• The heat makes children sweat more and the amount of urine decreases. If, on top of that, they drink little water, the small amount of urine will give the bacteria that have entered the opportunity to have more time to multiply and affect the body.

• It’s swimming season. An environment where bacteria are more easily transported to the bladder. In addition, keeping the swimsuit wet for a long time facilitates the rise of bacteria to the urethra. It’s the same with clothes that are too tight.

Symptoms of urinary tract infections

• Increased frequency and difficulty of urinating.
• Sense of urgency to go to the bathroom.
• Pain or burning sensation when urinating.
• There may be blood in the urine.
• Mild fever.
• Pain in the lower abdomen.
• If there is an infection in the genital area, there may be itching or burning.

“A urinary tract infection is the invasion and proliferation of bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites or microbes in one or more of these organs of the urinary system”

Tips for parents

There are many habits and tips that we can put in place to prevent the risk of urinary tract infection in our young girls:

• Encourage  the habit of consuming enough water and fluids in general in children. This will help eliminate bacteria through the urine before they cause an infection.
• Learn the importance  of urinating several times a day and not holding back.
• Practice and teach young girls good hygiene care habits in the genital area.
• If the young girl is already going to the bathroom alone, it is essential that she wipes herself back and forth.
• On the other hand, if she still uses diapers:  it is important that the mom changes diapers regularly to prevent moisture build-up  and be careful not to contaminate the area when changing diapers.
• Quickly change the child’s swimsuit.
• Buy  loose, cotton underwear.

Diagnosis and treatment

The infection is diagnosed by analyzing a urine sample from the girl  to confirm the presence of bacteria.

Accordingly, the treatment is based on antibiotics. If the child is very young, she may be hospitalized to receive intravenous medication. With treatment, symptoms should improve on the second or third day.

At the end of the treatment, the analysis is repeated to confirm that there are no more bacteria in the urine. Complete recovery from a urinary tract infection in young girls takes about a week.