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Can toddlers be prone to kidney/bladder infections? My stepdaughter is prone to them, and she thinks that my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter may have one. She wet her panties twice yesterday (something highly unusual for her) and again this morning, and said that it hurts in that area.
I just don't know whether or not to be overly concerned.
Posts: 25 | Registered: Jun 2007
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Oh, yes, indeed! 3 and 1/2 is prime time for a UTI, especially as they are learning how to wipe up for themselves.
Please do get her seen right away. The story you describe is consistent with that diagnosis. If she has more than one UTI (and sometimes some MDs will do this for the first), she'll need extra testing to make sure her kidneys are safe. [Most are, but some kids are prone to UTIs because of backflow up into the kidneys, and this can damage the kidneys beyond repair, even to the point of losing them. Rare, but dire -- and a good reason to treat such infections.]
When she gets evaluated for this possible UTI, she'll need a urine sample. This is hard to do for a toddler. Make sure she keeps drinking and has fluids while you are waiting.
A trick that was told me by an old and wise pediatrician was to have the girls sit backwards on the toilet, facing the wall. This lets you make a really good swipe to clean the area, and when you go to catch the urine midstream, it keeps them from shutting their thighs and contaminating the sample. You could practice this at home before she goes to the clinic -- kind of make a game of it.
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