Cystitis: a very common disorder in girls
Cystitis is a very common urinary infection especially in girls. It is easily detected and has a very simple treatment, but we must be careful because if we do not diagnose it in time it can harm the kidney. It's not a strange thing, almost 5% of girls of school age will suffer it , and in a proport
Cystitis is a very common urinary infection especially in girls. It is easily detected and has a very simple treatment, but we must be careful because if we do not diagnose it in time it can harm the kidney.
It's not a strange thing, almost 5% of girls of school age will suffer it, and in a proportion 10 times greater than children.
What is cystitis in childhood
Its symptoms are clear: pain or stinging when peeing, continuous feeling of urination, and sometimes, a few drops of blood. In babies it is more difficult to detect it so it is convenient to see if the baby cries more than usual, the diapers are barely wet or are stained pink, or have a lack of appetite or vomiting. Any of these symptoms indicate that we should see the doctor as soon as possible, cystitis is not dangerous whenever it is treated in time.
The reason why cystitis is more common in girls is that most of the time the infection is caused by a bacteria that is in the feces, in the case of girls, the area of infection It is located very close to the urethra and incorrect cleaning at the stage where they learn to go to the bathroom alone causes bacteria to penetrate easily. Also, in girls, the urethra is shorter than in children, which makes the infection faster.
There are also other factors that can influence, since these bacteria multiply in humid and warm environments; for example stay with wet clothes on, sit in cold places, or touch the genital areas excessively with dirty hands. Also take other medications, wash in excess with abrasive soaps that reduce vaginal flora, or drink little liquid, which reduces the frequency of peeing and concentrates toxins in the urine, can lead to cystitis.
The treatment is antibiotics. The most usual is that the doctor performs a culture of urine before and antibiotics are given for 10 days. It is important to cure it well, otherwise the episodes will be repeated. In addition there can be a complication if there is a reflux of urine from the bladder to the ureters, increasing the infection to the kidney and becoming a pyelonephritis, which eventually causes kidney problems.
What can we do to prevent cystitis?
1- Give the child lots of fluids: Water, natural juices, broths, infusions, and diuretic vegetables and fruits favor the desire to pee and thus the expulsion of germs.
2- Do not give them fatty foods: They are difficult to purify.
3- Teach girls to clean themselves correctly: It is basic, from babies, to clean from the vagina to the anal area, and not vice versa, so that germs can not penetrate the urethra.
5- Dry underwear and clean.
6- Change diapers often.
With adequate hygiene, the percentage of suffering from cystitis decreases considerably.
