If your child below five years old is having fever for more than a day without any other symptoms like a running nose or ear ache, then chances are that he/she is suffering from urinary tract infection (UTI). If ignored, the bacteria causing UTI may spread to the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening infection or lasting kidney damage, say nephrologists.
The UTI is caused by bacteria that has entered the urinary system. This commonly occurs in the lower urinary tract, ie. the urinary canal and bladder, although infections can progress to the upper tract and0 affect the kidneys. This mostly happens in the case of the kids in UTI is not treated in time.
Dr Arvind Bagga, pediatric nephrologist from the AIIMS, Delhi said that in India, 20 per cent of kidney disease in children is due to UTI. But mostly parents fail to recognise its occurrence. “We have found that parents usually dismiss the fever without any other symptoms as a viral fever and start giving antibiotics. This just aggravates the UTI as bacteria reaches to the upper tract of the kidney and can damage the organ.
In fact, said Dr Bagga, many times it has been seen that even physicians fail to diagnose the UTI.
He said that as children cannot complain about the unexplained fever or burning urination or frequent urination, parents should contact doctors if the kid is having fever. This is the time when kidney are maturing. Parents must take note of such signs in their kids and contact doctors immediately. “It is the time that when the kidney are developing,” said Dr Bagga adding that in children recurrent or severe episodes of UTI can cause permanent kidney damage (scarring of kidneys), growth retardation, high blood pressure and anaemia. Younger children have greatest risk for kidney damage from UTIs, especially if they have some unknown urinary tract abnormality, he added.
Obstructions in the urinary tract can also increase the risk, while a weakened immune system and urinary structures that are abnormally developed from birth can also put the child at risk. Chronic constipation is another risk factor.
Dr Sandeep Mahajan, Professor of 0Nephrology at AIIMS, Delhi added that there are cases when children are born with less nephrons or underdeveloped kidneys. Parents need to get such children screened for any future problem on a continuous basis and ensure the treatment accordingly.