Why Do Girls Get Urinary Tract Infections More Often Than Boys?
Do you have a handful of kids? Have you often questioned why your little girls were more frequently diagnosed with urinary tract infection compared to your little boys? Must there be a special predilection of girls to this kind of infection compared to boys? This might seem odd, but you have reason to assume there is. Let me highlight why.
Urinary tract infection or UTI takes place when the body's filtering system is invaded by bacteria, which multiply inflicting infection. The most typical infecting bacteria come from the bowel that stay on the skin near the rectum (where feces move out), which can spread and enter the urethra (where urine passes out). Interestingly, girls are especially vulnerable to UTI because of the close proximity of their rectum to their urethra. But in boys, their urethra is located considerably far enough from the rectum. Therefore, there is very little chance for the bacteria in the rectum to be transferred to the urinary tract and trigger infection.
Another cause of UTI in kids is prolonged withholding of urine. Urine is accumulated in the bladder which is made up of muscles. Waiting around too long to urinate will stretch the bladder muscle beyond its capacity causing it to weaken. When the bladder is weakened, it may not empty entirely during urination. Most urine can be retained in the bladder, increasing the risk of urinary tract infection.
Symptoms of UTI include a strong urge to urinate, followed by a sharp pain or burning feeling in the urethra at the time of urination. Since the bladder is not completely emptied, the urge to urinate happens quickly, increasing frequency of urination. However, these classic signs and symptoms of UTI may not be evident in kids. They are not keen observers to the signs and symptoms, and besides kids don't usually complain. Most young children could simply present with high fever with no detectable physical concentration of infection. Thus, the bases in diagnosing UTI in young children are urinalysis and urine culture.
Because UTI is an infection triggered by bacteria, seven to 10 ten days of antibiotics is normally required for treatment. Although symptoms may recede quickly after starting antibiotic treatment, antibiotics must still be continued until the full course of antibiotic therapy is finished. Quitting antibiotics earlier will not entirely eradicate the bacteria and may even lead to resistance.
One great thing about UTI though, is that the accuracy of its pathologic course allows us to make effective preventive measures. Here are some tips you may want to consider.
• Good personal hygiene is the most important tip to decrease the chance of UTI. Immediately after your child urinates or moves her bowel, always wipe from front to back and make sure to wash the skin around the rectum and between the rectum and vagina daily with soap and water. This will prevent bacteria from the anus from entering the urethra.
• Do not hold off urination once the child tells you she has an urge to do so.
• Let your kid drink plenty of water/fluids to help flush bacteria out of the urinary system.
• Increase your kid's intake of Vitamin C because this will make urine much more acidic. An acidic urine can help reduce the number of possibly dangerous bacteria in the urinary tract.
• Let your child wear panties made of cotton. 100 % cotton materials allows escape of moisture while other materials trap moisture, creating a possible breeding ground for bacteria to grow.
As your child grows, it is vital for her to be personally aware of urinary tract infection, for the main reason that she will continue to be at high risk for getting the infection even in adulthood. Taking the necessary precautions can significantly minimize the frequency of UTI and stop its complications.
About the Author
They say your kid is a reflection of you. Visit http://www.Gagazine.com to learn how to raise a better child by raising a better parent (YOU) first.
Tell others about
this page:
Comments? Questions? Email Here