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When does a UTI turn into a kidney infection for children?
My daughter had a UTI and I tried to treat it myself with home remedies, like drinking a lot of water and cranberry juice. But now she's in a lot more pain than she was in before, and I'm not sure of what to do. I'm scared that this could be a kidney infection. What should I do? I don't want her to take antibiotics, but now I feel like she would have to.
2 Answers
A UTI is an infection of the genitourinary system (kineys, ureter, and bladder) while a kidney infection is an infection that involves the kidney and usually more. The typical treatment is to increase fluids, get a urine culture done to know exactly what is infecting the system and then use s short course of antibiotics targeted to that specific causative bacteria. Declining antibiotics is a bit problematic as this usually requires antibiotics to cure.
Urinary infections in children should be treated with short courses of antibiotics. Water & cranberry juice will not cure a UTI. Daughter will also need to be worked up if UTI is associated with fever &/or back pain as this could well suggest kidney involvement.