Urinary tract infection (UTI)

A water infection (UTI) is an infection of the urinary tract bladder or kidneys. It is caused by bacteria and is treated with antibiotics. Bladder infections are far more common than kidney infections. Water infections need to treated promptly, how we treat them depends on the age of the child and the symptoms they present with.

Water infections are more common in girls than boys and in early years (whilst in nappies)

 

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms can vary depending on your child's age and the severity of the infection. 

 

  • Pain or stinging when passing urine
  • Passing urine more often than normal
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Back or tummy pain

Women aged 16-65 can seek treatment from the pharmacy

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Link to briefing for GP and Primary Care Networks

When should you worry?

If your child has any of the following:

  • Breathing very fast or breathing that stops or pauses
  • Working hard to breathe, drawing in of the muscles below the rib, unable to talk or noisy breathing (grunting)
  • Becomes pale, blue, mottled and/or unusually cold to touch
  • Difficult to wake up, very sleepy or confused
  • Weak, high-pitched, continuous cry or extremely agitated
  • Has a fit (seizure)
  • A temperature less than 36oC or temperature 38oC or more if baby is less than 3 months
  • Develops a rash that does not disappear with pressure and seems unwell (see the 'Glass Test')

You need urgent help.

Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999

If your child has any of the following:

  • Blood in wee
  • Pain on going for a wee or back pain
  • Not getting better in 2 days when on antibiotics
  • Unable to take antibiotics or vomiting antibiotics
  • Breathing a bit faster than normal or working a bit harder to breathe
  • Dry skin, lips, tongue or looking pale
  • Not had a wee or wet nappy in last 12 hours
  • Sleepy or not responding normally
  • Crying and unsettled
  • Poor feeding (babies) or not drinking (children)
  • A temperature 39oC or above in babies 3-6 months
  • Temperature of 38oC or above for more than 5 days or shivering with fever(rigors)
  • Getting worse or you are worried about them

You need to contact a doctor or nurse today.

Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111

If your child has none of the above:

Self care

Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111

This guidance has been reviewed and adapted by healthcare professionals across North East and North Cumbria with consent from the Hampshire development groups.

How can I help my child?
  • Ensure they get antibiotics at regular intervals as instructed by your doctor
  • Children with UTIs may be uncomfortable so you may wish to give them paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with their pain
What investigations will they need?
  • A UTI is diagnosed by testing a sample of your child's urine (pee), (urinary pad sample or a clean catch into a pot)
  • It will take a couple of days to get the results back - your child's antibiotics may be stopped or changed at that point
  • Your child may need scans which will be organised by your doctor
What is the treatment?
  • Your child will need antibiotics to treat their UTI. Most children with a bladder infection can be managed with oral antibiotics
  • If your child has a kidney infection or if they are very young (under 3 months of age), they may need to go to hospital for antibiotics through a drip in their vein
Help your child to avoid getting UTIs in the future
  • Ensure your child drinks plenty of water - aim for 6-8 glasses daily
  • Ensure your child goes to the toilet regularly - aim for every 2-3 hours, including at school
  • Treat constipation - see your GP
  • Encourage girls to wipe their bottom from front to back
  • Use loose-fitting cotton underwear
  • Avoid bubble bath and excessive soap in the bath
Worried that your child has got another UTI?
  • Next time your child has a fever for no obvious reason, especially if nobody else is unwell in the family, make sure a urine sample is checked. If your child has a UTI, it is important that it is diagnosed and treated early. That way, there is far less chance that it will cause long term damage to their kidneys
Useful websites

Eric The Children's Bowel and Bladder Charity

Where should you seek help?

A&E departments provide vital care for life-threatening emergencies, such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties, or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. If you’re not sure it’s an emergency, call 111 for advice.

Sound advice

  1. Many visits to A&E and calls to 999 could be resolved by any other NHS services.
  2. If your child's condition is not critical, choose another service to get them the best possible treatment.
  3. Help your child to understand – watch this video with them about going to A&E or riding in an ambulance

If you’re not sure which NHS service you need, call 111. An adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms and then give you the advice you need, or direct you straightaway to the best service for you in your area.

Sound advice

Use NHS 111 if you are unsure what to do next, have any questions about a condition or treatment or require information about local health services.

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

GPs assess, treat and manage a whole range of health problems. They also provide health education, give vaccinations and carry out simple surgical procedures. Your GP will arrange a referral to a hospital specialist should you need it.

Sound advice

You have a choice of service:

  1. Doctors/GPs can treat many illnesses that do not warrant a visit to A&E.
  2. Help your child to understand – watch this video with them about visiting the GP or going to a walk in centre

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

School nurses care for children and young people, aged 5-19, and their families, to ensure their health needs are supported within their school and community. They work closely with education staff and other agencies to support parents, carers and the children and young people, with physical and/or emotional health needs.

Contacting the School Nurse

Some primary and secondary schools may have an allocated school nurse, however this can vary depending on the area  – telephone your child’s school to ask for the contact details of your school nursing team.

There is also a specialist nurse who works with families who choose to educate their children at home.

North Cumbria

Northumberland

North Tyneside

Newcastle

Gateshead

South Tyneside

Sunderland

County Durham

Darlington

Hartlepool

Stockton

Middlesbrough

Redcar and Cleveland

Sound Advice

Before your child starts school your health visitor will meet with the school nursing team to transfer their care to the school nursing service. The school nursing team consists of a school nursing lead, specialist public health practitioners and school health staff nurses.

They all have a role in preventing disease and promoting health and wellbeing, by:-

  • encouraging healthier lifestyles
  • giving information, advice and support to children, young people and their families
  • supporting children with complex health needs

Each member of the team has links with many other professionals who also work with children including community paediatricians, child and adolescent mental health teams, health visitors and speech and language therapists. The school health nursing service also forms part of the multi-agency services for children, young people and families where there are child protection or safeguarding issues.

Health visitors are nurses or midwives who are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing illness through the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme. They work with you through your pregnancy up until your child is ready to start school.

Health Visitors can also make referrals for you to other health professionals for example hearing or vision concerns or to the Community Paediatricians or to the child and adolescent mental health services.

Contact them by phoning your Health Visitor Team or local Children’s Centre.

North Cumbria

Northumberland

North Tyneside

Newcastle

Gateshead

South Tyneside

Sunderland

County Durham

Darlington

Hartlepool

Stockton

Middlesbrough

Redcar and Cleveland

Sound advice

Health visitors also provide advice, support and guidance in caring for your child, including:

  • Breastfeeding, weaning and healthy eating
  • Exercise, hygiene and safety
  • Your child’s growth and development
  • Emotional health and wellbeing, including postnatal depression
  • Safety in the home
  • Stopping smoking
  • Contraception and sexual health
  • Sleep and behaviour management (including temper tantrums!)
  • Toilet training
  • Minor illnesses

For more information watch the video: What does a health visitor do?

Pharmacists are experts in many aspects of healthcare and can offer advice on a wide range of long-term conditions and common illnesses such as coughs, colds and stomach upsets. You don’t need an appointment and many have private consultation areas, so they are a good first port of call. Your pharmacist will say if you need further medical attention.

Sound advice

  1. Visit a pharmacy if your child is ill, but does not need to see a GP.
  2. Remember that if your child's condition gets worse, you should seek further medical advice immediately.
  3. Help your child to understand - watch this video with them about going to the pharmacy.

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

Self-care

You can treat your child's very minor illnesses and injuries at home.

Some illnesses can be treated in your own home with support and advice from the services listed when required, using the recommended medicines and getting plenty of rest.

Sound advice

Children can recover from illness quickly but also can become more poorly quickly; it is important to seek further advice if a child's condition gets worse.

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

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