Jason, three, was happily potty-trained, or so his mom, Jennifer, thought. “Then he began waking up wet and was wetting during the day. He avoided going to the bathroom.” Jason, it turned out, had a urinary tract infection (UTI). This is quite common in children and is caused by bacteria. The good news is that UTIs can be prevented.

THE INSIDE STORY
UTIs are usually caused by a bacterial infection of the urinary tract. Although bacteria aren’t normally found in the urine, they can easily enter the urinary tract from the skin around the anus (the intestinal bacteria E. coli is the most frequent cause of UTIs).

UTIs are more common in girls because a girl’s urethra is shorter and closer to the anus. Uncircumcised boys, younger than one year, also have a slightly higher risk of developing a UTI.

RECOGNIZING A UTI
Your child might be suffering from a UTI if they exhibit some of these symptoms:

• Urinating often
• Experiencing pain or burning with urination
• Wetting during day or night, although completely potty trained
• Having foul-smelling urine
• Experiencing belly or back pain
• Vomiting
• Having a fever

WHY MY KID?
A few factors can contribute to UTI's:

• Waiting too long to ‘go’
• Being constipated. Encourage your child to drink enough fluids every day
• Having anatomical problems that cause retention of urine
• Wiping incorrectly after bowel movements. Teach your daughter to wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from entering urinary tract
• Using bubble baths or soaps that irritate the urethra
• Having a family history of UTIs
• Wearing nylon underwear. Little girls should wear cotton panties

TREATMENT FOR UTIS
Antibiotics are usually prescribed for urinary tract infections. Your doctor will need to take a sample of urine to diagnose the infection. If your child has severe pain while urinating, your doctor might prescribe a medication that numbs the urinary tract and turns the urine orange.

It is important to ensure your child completes all of the antibiotics ordered as the UTI could return or spread. You should see improvement within two or three days after medication is started.