Urinary tract infections occur more often in girls than boys, according to the KidsHealth website, and often go undetected in infant girls because it's difficult to spot the symptoms. An infant girl with a urinary tract infection might have a fever, foul-smelling urine, cloudy or bloody urine or persistent unexplained irritability. Fortunately, you can take a few steps to prevent urinary tract infections; discuss the issue with your child's pediatrician, who can give advice specific to your daughter.
Step 1
Give your infant plenty of fluids. Ensure that she's consuming the amount of breast milk or formula recommended by her pediatrician. This will keep her urine dilute and flush out bacteria from the bladder before a urinary tract infection occurs.
Step 2
Wipe your daughter from front to back during diaper changes. This helps prevent bacteria from spreading to your daughter's urethra, MayoClinic.com explains.
Step 3
Change your daughter's diaper frequently. This prevents the spread of bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections in infants. If your daughter appears to have more wet diapers than usual or seems like she's in pain during urination, contact her pediatrician immediately.
Step 4
Keep baths short. Don't allow your daughter to soak too long in the tub. Wash her and allow her to play for a few minutes. Avoid prolonged soaking because bubble baths and soaps might irritate the urethra and result in urinary tract infections, KidsHealth warns.
Step 5
Contact your daughter's pediatrician right away if you suspect a urinary tract infection. A doctor will typically provide an antibiotic to treat the infection. Typically, your child will need to take the medication for seven to 14 days, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Tips and Warnings
- If your daughter has frequent urinary tract infections, despite taking steps to prevent infection, discuss this with her pediatrician. Some children might need testing to rule out abnormalities in the urinary tract that make urinary tract infections more common. Your doctor might use an ultrasound to examine your daughter's bladder and kidneys.
- If your daughter is taking antibiotics for a urinary tract infection, don't stop the medicine when symptoms improve. This can make her infection worse.
