Hello
I'm posting in here as well as 'general health' in the hope that someone can advise me.
DD2 is 35 months old. She started with urination pain in early December. I have urine dipstick tests at home for my own use (another story!), so when she complained of painful weeing, I tested her urine and it tested positive for leukocytes, non hemolyzed blood and a trace of protein. We took her to the out of hours GP as it was a weekend, and she was prescribed a course of ABs. After a single dose, she was much better. She completed the course. In the meantime though, the original urine sample had been sent of to the lab for culture and sensitivity test and that came back negative for bacteria. I tested her urine again to check if whatever she'd had had cleared, but it was still showing positive for the same things.
So, back to the (regular) GP who sent of a second sample to the lab. Thsi time it came back showing mixed bacterial growth amnd we were told this meant that the sample was contaminated. As DD's symptoms were gone, the GP said she wouldn't treat her and leave it to see what happened.
Well, a few days later she was crying when weeing again so another trip to the GP. This time she dipped her urine but it showed very little wrong with it. On this basis, the GP said she thought that perhaps the painful urination was caused by irritation to the vulva - DD does get sore 'down there' sometimes. We left it at that and she was pretty much fine for the next few weeks.
Anyway, last Monday we were away from home for a few days. DD2 got up and went for her morning wee and immediately cried and refused to continue. I checked her vulva and it was very red/sore looking. I put some cream on as advised and by the following day she was urinating as normal, without pain. She continued to be ok for two days, and then last Thursday was complaining of pain again first thing.
I decided to return to the GP to see if they could recommend any better cream - I wasn't really thinking of a UTI at this point. I took a urine sample along anyway and when dipped this showed leukocytes. The GP asked if she'd had a temp and I told him no, just the burning when she wees, on and off for the previous few days. He said it didn't sound like a UTI and gave me more cream for her vulva (which wasn't sore at this point). He did also send the urine sample to the lab to be on the safe side. Fast forward to today and I get a call from GP office to go and collect a prescription for ABs for DD2 - the lab culture showed bacteria and therefore positive for infection.
I spoke to the GP on the phone and he said he is going to look at the guidlines for children with recurrent UTIs and get back to me if it needs to be taken further.
This has left me really confused. Firstly I don't know if she did have a UTI the first time back in December. If not, what did she have? How does that tie in with the sore red vulva which obviously causes pain when she wees? Basically, WTF is going on with her?!
She is perfectly well apart from the painful wees. She isn't weeing more frequently, is dry at night etc...
I'm still not convinced that this current bout is actually a UTI. Is it possible for bacterial growth to come from elsewhere?
Sorry this is so long and drawn out, but it's doing my head in! Has anyone else had this with a child?
Thanks for reading!