Nitrite in the urine of a child
What does nitrite mean in your child's urine? For what reasons can nitrites appear in the urine of a child i how to treat related infections? As evidenced by nitrite in urine after furagin and what to do in such a situation? How to avoid presence nitrite in your baby's urine? Find out what the knowledge and experience of the pediatrician suggest on this subject.
Urinalysis is one of the basic tests that helps us diagnose many diseases. Urine produced in the kidneys contains metabolic products that are useless for our body. They are expelled this way.
Is nitrite in urine normal?
Under physiological conditions - in a healthy organism, the a– urinary system is a sterile environment, which means that there are no microorganisms in the urine. They can possibly appear only in the final section of the urinary tract - they get there via the ascending route from the perineal area. In a correct general examination of the urine of a child and an adult, there should be no nitrite. Nitrates are present, which come from the food you eat and the metabolism of proteins.
What do the nitrites in the baby's urine mean?
The conversion of nitrates to nitrites occurs in the presence of gram-negative bacteria. So if your urine test shows nitrite levels, the usual cause is an infection, which is a bacterial urinary tract infection. To confirm this, additional tests should be performed, but first of all, the patient's symptoms should be assessed. Urinary tract infections are quite common in children, but they should never be underestimated. Their general symptoms may vary:
- fever, sometimes with vomiting
- stomach pain, pain during micturition (urination)
- tearfulness
- lack of appetite.
Expert advises
Depending on the age of the child, it may be difficult to assess such symptoms - the younger the child, the more difficult it will be for us to assess them. Performing a urine test helps to make the correct diagnosis. The presence of nitrites in the urine or an increased number of white blood cells (leukocytes) is a signal that a urinary tract infection is possible and you should contact your doctor. Usually, urine cultures are also performed to properly treat the patient.
Czy nitrite in the urine always mean the presence of bacteria?
Do nitrites found in a child's urine always indicate the presence of bacteria and a developing infection, or does it sometimes mean something else? The situation of a false-positive urine test result and the presence of nitrites in it is possible. This happens when the urine to be tested has not been properly stored - i.e. the urine sample has been left at room temperature for too long, as a result of which bacteria have multiplied there that do not have to come from the urinary tract. In case of doubt, the urine should be collected again correctly and delivered to the laboratory in appropriate conditions.
Is there a lack of nitrite in the urine is it no infection?
If there is no nitrite in the urine, does this mean that the child does not have a urinary tract infection? Even if the urine does not contain nitrite, bacteria may still be present. This is the case, for example, in pollakiuria - that is, the presence of urine in the bladder for too short a time (polyuria). In order to make a diagnosis of urinary tract infection, we always need to assess the patient's symptoms and evaluate other parameters of the tests performed (leukocyturia in the urine test, urine culture).
Urine nitrite: whether and how to treat?
Actually, you should ask the question should you only give your child medication based on the presence of nitrite in the urine? Certainly not. It is necessary to consult a doctor and perform additional tests, as prescribed by the doctor. Correctly selected treatment is a guarantee of a quick improvement and effective healing of the child.
Nitrite in urine after furagin: what to do?
What if a child treated with furagin, which we often use to treat urinary tract infections, has nitrite present in a urinalysis? If the urine was collected correctly and delivered to the laboratory under the appropriate conditions, then when found nitrite in urine after furagin be sure to contact a doctor - perhaps you need to switch to a different therapy and take a different medicine. However, it should always be a decision made after analyzing the symptoms of the disease - whether they are still present, whether they have become worse or have already disappeared - and based on the evaluation of other additional tests. Too hasty change of medication is also not advisable.
How can I prevent urinary infections in children?
In order not to worry about the presence of nitrite in the urine, it is worth, first of all, to prevent urinary tract infections in children.
The simplest advice is the right one hygiene of intimate places - a large proportion of urinary tract infections in children are called ascending infections, i.e. a consequence of the presence of bacteria in the lower urinary tract. Parents are responsible for this in infants, and as we age, we must develop appropriate hygienic behavior in children.
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