Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

Posted By

Message

MrsRbk
<3 <3 <3 <3

Member since 1/06

19197 total posts

Name:
Michelle

Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

So last week, DD had a low grade fever, (she is 6 months old) enough though that I had to pick her up from daycare and keep her home the next day. By the time I got from daycare to the ped she no longer had a fever (15 minutes) The ped looked her over and she had no signs of an ear infection, coxsackie, etc... He said that when little girls have unexplained fevers it can mean a UTI. So they gave me this bag to put on her and a cup an sent me home. He said if she still had a fever the next morning to put the bag on her and drop the urine sample back at the office and they would check. Well, she had no fever all day, then woke up from her afternoon nap (5:00) with a 101.6 fever (this was last week). I called the ped and they said to put the bag on her in the next morning and bring her in. The sample came back borderline for a UTI while we were in the office, but they decided to send it out. I was given a RX for an antibotic, but because it was borderline and she had no fever, I was relunctant to fill it and give her meds if she didn't really need them. She has stayed fever free.

On Thursday, the ped called and said her culture came back positive for a UTI, but because it had been almost a week and she had no fever since last Friday, he just wanted to check again before we started the antibotics. So, this morning, I put the bag on her when she woke up, and then after her nap, I took the bag off and brought it to the Drs. office. Again, it came back positive for a UTI, but she is perfectly fine. No discomfort, and is her happy cheerful playful self. I have to do this yet again tomorrow and if it comes back positive again, then we will start antibotics.

Has anyones DD ever had a UTI? Is there anything I should be looking for? I just don't understand why it keeps coming back positive, she has no fever and is acting normal. Even the ped was Chat Icon this morning? Could it be that the way they are having me collect the urine is not the most sterile? I mean, there is ALWAYS bacteria "there"

Anyone have any insight?

TIA

Posted 8/1/09 3:37 PM

Forum Mail Edit Post Print Quote Reply

Long Island Weddings

Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource

KateDevine
*

Member since 6/06

24950 total posts

Name:

Re: Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

I don't have a girl, but maybe FM NBC188, b/c she has experience with these things (and has a girl!) Chat Icon

Posted 8/1/09 4:01 PM

Forum Mail Edit Post Print Quote Reply

nbc188
Best friends!

Member since 12/06

23090 total posts

Name:
C

Re: Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

Posted by KateDevine

I don't have a girl, but maybe FM NBC188, b/c she has experience with these things (and has a girl!)

I just popped on and saw this...Kate's right, I have experience!

DD was diagnosed with a UTI a week before her 1st b-day. One night, she woke up crying hysterically, and when we went into her bedroom we could smell a distinct odor from her wet diaper. It STUNK. And she was burning up...even after Motrin/Tylenol. So that day I took her to the doctor, she was just exhausted and still very hot. Her temp was 105 for a long time. So they did the bag collection on her just like you said (actually, we were trying to wait in the office for her to pee but she was BEYOND exhausted at that point and wasn't peeing, so I drove her around in the rain for about an hour while she finally passed out, took her back in right after she peed-- needed to be within an hour of peeing). They tested right there, said it was a UTI...but since the external tests could be easily contaminated, they did a catheter right in the office...obviously no risk of contamination since it's taken internally. I was terrified of the catheter, but an experienced nurse did it and it was relatively fast. The results from that came back the next day as a UTI...so we started the antibiotics right away. I HATE giving medicine but DD most certainly needed it b/c of the high temp, her poor body was just trying with all it's might to fight off the infection.

We ended up having to have some further testing since UTIs in little girls, while not completely uncommon, is usually cause for exploration as to whether it was a fluke or something is causing it. I can get into those details with you as needed.

Personally, if she's still got the fever, I'd give her the meds. A UTI is not going to go away on it's own...and if left untreated CAN do damage to the kidneys.

Is there a reason they haven't done a catheter on her yet? They do them right in the doctor's office (most recommend having a nurse do it b/c they do them more often than a doc and are therefore more experienced, which is exactly what DD's doc told me). DD had 2 of them (the initial and then one a few days later to check to make sure UTI was gone), and while not completely pleasant for either of us, was really not terrible...she was fine as soon as it was over.

Feel free to ask any more questions. I personally would ask for a catheter, TODAY, if you want to wait for further confirmation, since it's the only sterile way to check.

ETA: Have you noticed an especially foul-smelling urine diaper? That was our red-flag, along with the fever.

Message edited 8/1/2009 4:13:38 PM.

Posted 8/1/09 4:10 PM

Forum Mail Edit Post Print Quote Reply

MrsRbk
<3 <3 <3 <3

Member since 1/06

19197 total posts

Name:
Michelle

Re: Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

Thanks NBC...

That's the strange part. She had two "high" fevers last week. The fever at daycare (101.7), but no fever 15 minutes later when I got to the ped. And then the next day at 5pm (101.6) by bedtime no fever and she has been fever free since (over a week). The only foul smelling diaper I've noticed is just her morning diaper, but it's because she's in that same diaper for at least 12 hours. Other than that, she is fine... no fever, she's herself, no change in her behavoir. This is why I was relunctant to start on an antibotic, because she's had no fever and has been showing no signs of being sick. I think that is why the ped didn't do a catheter check yet? I have to bring in another sample tomorrow morning, even though the office is closed her Dr. will be there in the morning. I'll ask him about doing the catheter then.

Thanks!

Posted 8/1/09 4:22 PM

Forum Mail Edit Post Print Quote Reply

nbc188
Best friends!

Member since 12/06

23090 total posts

Name:
C

Re: Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

Posted by MrsRbk

Thanks NBC...

That's the strange part. She had two "high" fevers last week. The fever at daycare (101.7), but no fever 15 minutes later when I got to the ped. And then the next day at 5pm (101.6) by bedtime no fever and she has been fever free since (over a week). The only foul smelling diaper I've noticed is just her morning diaper, but it's because she's in that same diaper for at least 12 hours. Other than that, she is fine... no fever, she's herself, no change in her behavoir. This is why I was relunctant to start on an antibotic, because she's had no fever and has been showing no signs of being sick. I think that is why the ped didn't do a catheter check yet? I have to bring in another sample tomorrow morning, even though the office is closed her Dr. will be there in the morning. I'll ask him about doing the catheter then.

Thanks!

Personally, I'd request the catheter tomorrow. If the tests keep coming up that she has a UTI but she's not acting off, I'd do the catheter to rule it out...you don't want to leave it untreated b/c it could damage her kidneys if it goes on, you know? The catheter isn't the most pleasant thing, but it goes fast and really is the only way to figure it out...I'm definitely surprised they haven't recommended one to you since she's having conflicting symptoms.

Oh, and about the morning diaper. Yes, DD's always stinks b/c she's in it for 10 hours (12 back then), but this one smelled distinctly different...very foul.

Good luck tomorrow. Keep me posted!

Message edited 8/1/2009 4:35:18 PM.

Posted 8/1/09 4:31 PM

Forum Mail Edit Post Print Quote Reply

annabegins
LIF Infant

Member since 2/08

59 total posts

Name:

Re: Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

We just had a similar experience with my 10 mo old. Only she had high fevers that weren't breaking. We took her to the Dr and they checked her urine with a catheter and it actually came back CLEAN. They sent it out for culture and I got a call 3 days later after her fever subsided that she did in fact have an UTI.

We did put her on an antibiotic at that point since left untreated it can damage her kidneys. Given how young she was and the fevers she had, we also went and had additional tests performed a few weeks later, which I think another poster also alluded to.

I'd talk to her doctor about it again. HTH!

Message edited 8/1/2009 5:26:12 PM.

Posted 8/1/09 5:25 PM

Forum Mail Edit Post Print Quote Reply

My4GirlsMyLife
My 4 girlies

Member since 2/08

9702 total posts

Name:
Valerie

Re: Mommies of girls... UTI question (longish)

My 2 older girls costantly had UTI's . I finally had to stop bathing them ,and give them a shower instead ( I held them) ,It was annoying ,but the UTI's stopped Chat Icon