
Although it can be uncomfortable, it usually takes less than a minute. Your child may cry during this procedure, but it's safe and routine.

He'll clean your baby's genitals with a sterile solution and then thread a tube, or catheter, up the urethra to get urine straight from the bladder. Catheter: If you have a baby or very young child, the doctor will most likely use a catheter to obtain a urine sample.You may need to be patient – both in waiting for your child to pee and in working with her to get a clean catch. Then you'll need to catch some of the urine midstream in a little cup while your child is urinating. The doctor or medical assistant will give you special wipes and tell you to use them to clean your child's genital area, wiping front to back. Cup while urinating: If your child is capable, you can help her provide a urine sample.Here are the different ways your doctor may collect a urine sample. This is hard to do with a baby or young child who can't urinate on command or follow special instructions. The doctor will need a "sterile" urine sample, one that hasn't been contaminated by the bacteria always present on your baby's skin. In some cases, your doctor may order additional tests.The urine is tested to verify that your child has an infection, and to determine which bacteria are causing it so your doctor can prescribe the correct antibiotic. possibly ask about a family history of UTIs (the tendency to get them can be genetically inherited).ask about your baby or toddler's symptoms.In some cases, a baby may show other symptoms, with or without a fever: The lack of other noticeable signs is why so many UTIs in infants go undetected, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). About 5 percent of babies who have a fever have a UTI. It can be hard to know if your baby has a UTI because many infants don't show obvious symptoms.įor many babies, an unexplained fever is the only obvious symptom. A condition called vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), in which urine from the bladder backs up into the kidneys (VUR is found in 30 to 40 percent of babies and young children who have UTIs).Foods or beverages that cause bladder irritation, including chocolate, some spices, and caffeinated drinks.

Bubble baths and other soaps and detergents that can irritate the genitals and urethra.Sitting in a wet diaper or bathing suit.Poor toilet hygiene (such as wiping back to front in girls).There are a number of other causes or practices that can lead to UTIs: What else can cause or lead to UTIs in babies and toddlers?
