Anyone's baby had scan of urinary tract following an infection?

[Schulte]

DD2 (just turned 1) had a UTI 3 weeks ago and GP said we'd be referred for an ultrasound scan of her urinary tract, to make sure there was no underlying cause. I haven't heard anything since. Not so familiar with the NHS and how long things are supposed to take but should I chase this up? And - has anyone's child had this done and what happens?

[MmeLindt]

Not sure about how it is done in the UK, but DD had to have this done when she was about 4 months old.

Tbh, I cannot remember much about it, but it was a routine thing to make sure that the urine only flows in one direction. It was not painful for DD.

Hope your DD is ok.

[Romanarama]

My ds1 had this when he was about 2 months old. He had an ultrasound, which is completely painless. Then he had an xray test where they put a tube in his penis to put some substance in to see how it moved through the valves and whether they closed properly. That was very unpleasant. About 4 months later he had a kidney scan to find out whether the infection had left any permanent damage (apparently this is a high risk - but he was only 18 days old when he contracted the UTI so it may be different for your dd). Tbh I can't remember much about that scan. He didn't have any damage and he's never had another UTI, though for several years I tested his urine every single time he had a fever, just in case.

He had to take prophylactic antibiotics every day until his valve function had been checked. I would chase it up if I were you: if there is an underlying cause then she could get another UTI, and her kidneys could suffer.

[LIZS]

dd did but it was done in Swtizerland so private and referrals always quick . They nromally allow time for the uti to clear before appointment. She was still quite little - 4 months or so - and they injected some dye via a catheter into her bladder and waited for her to wee under the scanner/xray . Then watched whcih way it flowed to check if there was any reflux towards the kidney. It looked uncomfortable but she didn't suffer during the procedure.

[MarthaFarquhar]

DD had an ultrasound at 2.5.

We saw a consultant before she was booked for the ultrasound. It took about 2 months to get the consultant appointment, and then another 3 months for the ultrasound to come around.

She also had a DMSA kidney scan a few months later.

[Hollyoaks]

My dd had a uti at about 18 months and had a consultant appointment and kidney ultrasound done about 2 months later. The ultrasound technician told us then that everything looked fine, but we had a follow up appointment with a consultant a few weeks later who confirmed that her kidneys, valves, bladder and ureters were all fine and no follow up tests were required unless she had any further uti's.

I know that the next stage is to have x-rays of the kidneys taken after injection of radioactive dye which can be unpleasant. However, the ultrasound is completely uninvasive (sp?) and dd quite liked the jelly on her belly.

Good luck

[MarthaFarquhar]

hollyoaks, my DD had the kidney scan you referred to. just to reassure people, the procedure was fine. The nurses distracted my DD so well that she didn't even notice the cannula being fitted, and that was the only invasive part of the test - the rest was like a normal scan, but with different equipment.

[Hollyoaks]

Pleased to hear it wasn't too bad, my sil is a nurse on the ward where the scan would have been done and she said that's the worst bit but they use a local anaesthetic cream on their hands too so they don't really feel anything.

[Schulte]

Thank you so much everyone, internet was down so I only saw everyone's replies this afternoon! I chased the surgery and they said we should get an appointment in about 3 weeks time. My poor dd has already had a hip scan, a heart scan and an allergy test in her little life - she's really costing the NHS a lot of money!

[mumwithbumandtum]

My DS has just been treated for a UTI and is being referred now to the children's hospital for kidney scans...tbh I assumed it would be an univasive (e.g. no cannulla) ultrasound...looks like we have more than that in store for us. He had a cannulla fitted a month or two ago for blood tests and I had to leave the room it was so upsetting seeing them trying to shove the cannulla (unsuccessfully) into his little foot. :-(