Quironsalud – Cystitis in children

Tips to prevent common urinary infections in summer

The swimming-pool, the sea, the river or lake are the most common scenarios for a family summer vacation.  The youngest in the house love to indulge in open-air activities involving frequent swims and getting wet which can increase the risk of catching the conditions that are most often associated with water activities.  Doctor Luis Alberto Sierra Guerra, a specialist of the Paediatrics Unit at the  Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital, explains that “this is the case of cystitis, which is the common term to describe the swelling of the bladder area.  This diagnosis is very common during the hottest months of the year due to the increase in the humidity at the urogenital area caused by a change of temperature, increased sweating or the practice of water activities”.

Although developing an infection will depend on the level of bacterial aggressivity and not all the cases evolve the same way, our expert points out that the most common symptoms that give us the heads up are: “a sudden and sometimes uncontrollable urge to urinate, even when the bladder is still filling up.  Additionally, there is irritation when urinating and an increase in the frequency.  Occasionally, there might be pain below the pubic area and blood in the urine stream”.

Generally speaking, infections of the urinary tract are a frequent cause of visits to the Paediatrician and the condition is more frequent in boys under six months old, whereas girls over one year old are more prone to develop cystitis than boys as a consequence of the female anatomy and the urinary tract being shorter.

A paediatric physical exam and the results of a urine test will determine the most efficient diagnosis.  As Doctor Luis Alberto Sierra Guerra explains, the urine culture is the most reliable test as it provides information on the microorganism that is the cause of the infection and the best antimicrobial drug we can use to eradicate it”.  In this sense, our Paediatrician highlights that the most habitual treatment for this condition is antibiotics as the majority of cystitis have a bacterial origin.  “The most important step when a urinary tract infection is suspected is to identify what is causing it in order to prevent recurrence.  Should we fail to identify the causes and simply treat the symptoms, the treatment will help improve the symptoms, but it will not prevent another episode of cystitis from happening at a later stage”.

Tips to prevent cystitis

At the Paediatric Unit of the Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital we have a list of recommendations to help reduce the risk of cystitis:

• Adequate hydration.
• Adequate toilet habit training for children, this is, we must teach them not to resist the need to go to the toilet and aim to go every 3 or 4 hours, to avoid wet or damp underwear and to make sure to keep their urogenital area properly clean (boys and girls).
• Adequate control of the bowel movements preventing constipation.
• Refrain from using tight clothing or clothing that stays damp for long periods of time.
• After going to the beach or the swimming-pool, dry well. Prevent the use of damp swimming clothes.
• Avoid the sun at times of excessive sweating as this promotes dehydration.

Do not take unprescribed drugs. The use of unprescribed antibiotics increases the risk of microorganism resistance. Always ask your Paediatrician.

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