How contagious is a urinary tract infection in children?
Urinary tract infection in children is normally not contagious. In order to be infected, the bacteria would have to pass from the child’s urinary tract to other people, and the person concerned would have to ingest the bacteria through the mouth, for example. Since most pathogens of the urinary tract infection are normal intestinal germs, many people cannot be infected with these pathogens separately – they already have the bacteria in their own intestinal tract.
The general treatment
The therapy of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection consists primarily of symptomatic treatment. Treatment with an antibiotic is not always absolutely necessary. Today, there are many other treatment options.
The most important is a sufficient (increased) drinking quantity to flush the bacteria out of the urinary tract. Increased drinking “flushes” the urinary tract including the kidneys and the bladder and is therefore an effective method to fight the infection. For the treatment of urinary tract infections, urine teas or uric acidifying substances can also be used, as the bacteria cannot multiply in every pH value.
Thus, drinking Vitamic C effervescent tablets can help. According to some studies, concentrated cranberry juice can also fight the infection. The cranberry juice extracts are intended to prevent the most common pathogen of cystitis – E. coli – from attaching itself to the wall of the bladder.
If the cause of fever in children is known, treatment of the elevated temperature is not necessarily necessary, as the fever is also useful in fighting the infection. However, if the temperatures become very high (above 38.5-39°C) or if the children suffer greatly from their listlessness (with possibly loss of appetite, headaches and no desire to drink), treatment with fever reducers (paracetamol, ibuprofen) may be useful. These drugs also have an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect and can thus not only relieve the symptoms well, but also directly combat the infection.
Often, a urinary tract infection in children should also be treated with prescription antibiotics. Please consult your family doctor to find out whether treatment with antibiotics is advisable. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin, gentamycin and ceftriaxone are used.
Which antibiotic is chosen usually also depends on which triggering bacterium grows in the urine culture. The antibiotic therapy can be adapted to this. As a tendency, stronger medication must be used for urinary tract infections that also affect the bladder and kidneys than for uncomplicated urinary tract infections that only affect the urethra.
Household remedies can help to alleviate the symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Many household remedies are suitable for this purpose, which encourage children to drink more. While children should normally be offered water and unsweetened tea to drink, fruit juices can also be used to treat fever and urinary tract infections.
Ideally, you should mix a fruit juice with the same amount of water (sparkling or still, depending on the child’s preference). Because of the sweetness in the drink, children usually drink more than usual. The diet can also be adjusted slightly so that the children take in a lot of liquid with it.
For example, soups are particularly suitable for fever and urinary tract infections in order to optimize the fluid balance. Other household remedies can be used specifically against fever: For example, calf compresses or a cold washcloth on the forehead can reduce the temperature somewhat.If the child complains of abdominal pain due to the bladder infection, a hot water bottle is also a good option. The hot-water bottle should be half-full at most, then the remaining air should be pressed out and only then screwed shut.
This prevents the hot-water bottle from bursting if the pressure is too high. If the children are particularly broken and cranky, it often also helps to put them on your arm or lap and calm them down with a story or song. Your favorite cuddly toy can also work wonders for sick children. Would you like to read more about possible home remedies for cystitis?
