Bit worried - question about urine infections - can anyone help please?

[Jacanne]

DD2 (3) was very poorly last week with a very high temp - the doctor asked for a urine sample just to make sure. He phoned today to say that she has a urine infection and that I need to get some specific ABs to deal with it. He also said that with a child her age they have to check to make sure that her kidneys are okay and that he is sending her for an ultrasound scan, although it's probably just an infection. I've not heard this before - I thought urine infections were quite common - is this a standard check that they do?

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Hello, my boys have all been through this. The odd urine infection is ok, but if they get them a lot it can mean reflux in the kidneys. He is being a bit quick to do a scan-but this can only be a good thing. If something was wrong with the kidney/valves then she would need to be on an anti-biotic called trimethoprim which prevents any kidney infections happening. If she isn;t on this it can lead to scarring of the kidneys which wouldn;t be a good thing.

3 of my boys had the reflux condition, one had an op at guys to correct it, one got better by itself (as 9 out of 10 cases do) but he was on trimethoprom from birth. Oldest son has scarred kidneys as we didn;t know he had it.

I am sure your daughter will be fine and it is just a precautionary scan he is doing.

Thank you for your quick answer - I am a worrier! I think the AB she has been prescribed is trimethropim - she's got to have it for 3 days. Will try not to worry and be grateful that he is being so cautious.

Okay, I have googled now and it would appear that she had a kidney infection rather than just a urine infection - judging by the symptoms that is - would that be why she has been referred so quickly?

Where I live they scan all the children who get a UTI under the age of 5.
The abnormality that they would most likely be looking for would be ureteric reflux, this is when urine goes from the bladder back up towards the kidneys. This can make them more likely to get UTIs, so that is why they are looking for it in your daughter.
I think that the usual treatment for this if they have it is to take antibiotics at a prophylactic dose until they are 5, but that probably varies depending on local policy.
My DD had a scan, it was fine. I was really worried beforehand, but it was really quick, probably less than 5 minutes, and was all normal. We were told the results immediatly, and then DD got a certificate for being so good, which pleased her.

That would make more sense as to the scan happening a bit quicker. Sometimes a urine infection that has been around for a while (you don't always know they have one) can lead to a kidney infection. Or sometimes re-occuring ones can lead to kidney infection. That'll be why he has ordered a scan. But at the same time it dosen't necessarily mean anyhtings wrong, might just be a blip.

Let us know how she gets on.

Mine were all found whilst i was pregnant with them-through the pregnancy scans. It can run in families, is there anyone in your families that have had problems do you know?

Not that I know of - my 94 year old grandad gets urine infections a lot but I think that's age related.

Thank you tigger - perhaps the policy is the same here.