Possible UTI?

Updated on March 23, 2009
J.N. asks from Willis, TX
40 answers

My 4 yo daughter has been complaining about her p****** p*** hurting. I looked at it to see what was wrong, and her "small lips" (sorry if it sounds inappropriate) is swollen and red around her urethra. She complains about it after she pees. She said that the pee makes it burn. She said that only her "part" hurts, not her tummy. I have advised her to let me know the next time she goes to the bathroom, so that I can see how much she pees and what it looks like, but I'm curious, could this be a UTI? Should I bring her to the doc?

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all of the advice. The day after I sent the request, my daughter said that she was fine. That night I had told her that she needed to wipe better, so I guess that was the problem. She's fine now. At least now I know what to look for if there is another problem. She is showing no signs of any problems. Thanks again ladies!

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K.T.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.,
Both of my daughters went thru this around the same age. They are not wiping themselves and washing good enough. I just used vaseline on them and told them to wash better and wipe front to back after using the restroom. This cleared it up right away. Try that first before you go to the doctor. I hope this helps! K.

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P.H.

answers from Houston on

Definitely take her to the doc. Also only bathe her in very mild soap and no bubble bath. I had the same problem as a young child and it was Ivory Soap that caused my UTI and ANY bubble bath and COME shampoos.

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N.S.

answers from Houston on

Absolutely you should take her to the doctor and immediately! She definitely has a UTI or something worse and she is in pain, and it's red & swollen. How much more evidence do you need? This is a no brainer. Get her in there!

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C.H.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.,
I've used this method many times on both boys and girls and myself as well. It does NOT burn in the least. Take a clove or 2 of fresh garlic, chop it up fine and put it in a cup or so of water. Bring to a boil for 5-10 mins. Let cool to room temp. Place in airtight plastic or glass, not metal container. Dip cotton balls in the garlic water and wash the area gently with the solution. Not soap. Do that 3-4 times a day and every time she poops. Let the area air dry. If she complains it is just because the skin is sore, not because the garlic burns. Each time you swab her you should see improvement. Make a new batch each day because it will spoil. This kills yeast on the skin. HTH
C.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.E.

answers from Austin on

Yes, you should take her to the doctor. It is very common for litle girls to get UTI. Also, it could be some thing else besides a Uti . You won't know unless they do some tests on her.

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M.T.

answers from Houston on

Definitely sounds like a UTI. Take her to the doc as soon as possible. My little girl would get them periodically because she would be having too much fun to go the the bathroom, and would hold it for long periods of time. If it is a UTI, and it doesn't get treated...the next stage is that she won't be able to go, without a lot of pain and stinging.... and being catheterized is NO FUN! I'm also very much about natural health. In the future, "Just Cranberry" (unsweetened) with a little stevia root, helps ward off those bladder infections, if you're prone to them. Also, always drinking lots of water and staying away from sugary softdrinks and juices helps too. Good luck.

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E.E.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.,

As a nurse I agree that you should go to the MD. In my opinion, what your daughter is experiencing is an irritation by something coming in contact with her skin, such as soap or fabric softener etc. I would recommend no soap in the bathwater during bath time. Let her soak in plain water for at least 10 min per day and wash her last. Stay away from mr bubble and any kind of bubble bath in the future. In addition, I would not aggressively wash her down there. Make sure to use J&J baby soap or something VERY mild as to limit the irritation factor. Also, when you bring her out of the bath make sure to air dry her down there before you put her underpants on to eliminate the moisture factor as well. Second, if it was a UTI you would not be able to visibly be able to see any outward signs. I have a 4 yr old with the exact same issue and this works for us. Good luck! I know this hurts her. Oh and during times of bad pain just put her in a warm bath for a little bit, no soap.

J.B.

answers from Houston on

Yeah I would take her to the doc right away because she is in pain, the doc can give her something and probably even something for pain. I had a terrible bladder infection once, and it was the worst! So I would say, yeah take her in. Best wishes!!

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J.T.

answers from Houston on

Take your daughter to the doctor ASAP. She needs to have a check up. I write this as a professional social worker. Good luck

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T.E.

answers from Houston on

sounds like she might have one.. go ahead and take her to the doctor, they will have you go to the bathroom with her and collect a urine sample. also encourage her to drink more. if she doesn't like cranberry juice then give her the white cranberry juice--it has the samae affect and is not tart like the red one. i had to be vigilant with making my daughter wipe herself off with the toilet paper instead of peeing and running off..which is what she had a tendency to do.

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C.P.

answers from Houston on

I agree with the responses, take her to the doctor. Does she take a lot of bubble baths?This can irritate the area. If you are uncomfortable with her taking a shower, lots of time I give my granddaughter a stand up bath--she plays in the bath water for a little bit, then I come in, she stands up and soaps herself, and I rinse her off with water in a big cup to make sure all the soap has been removed from her private areas. At one time when my children were younger, I had a shower head on a hose that I could use for rinsing, and it really came in handy when washing/rinsing my daughter's long hair.
I hope she gets to feeling better. Being a teacher, I have had a few UTI's because I do not get to drink as much water as I need to. Be sure she is getting plenty of liquid. My granddaughter will ask for water, and she will tell you it is good for your body.

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N.D.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.,

Just wanted to share my experiences. When my daughter was your daughter's age she had similar symptoms. When I stopped allowing bubble baths and took her off caffeine she never had the problems again. Both of us and now her 4 yr old daughter are very sensitive to sugars and we've had yeast problems. In fact, cranberry juice has been too sweet for me at times that the yeast is too high in my body (overgrowth of candida).

One time I had a bladder infection but thought my symptoms were the flu that was going around. I ended up in the E R with a serious kidney infection. It's not always easy to know.

About toilet tissue....I also stick to Charmin as I found other cheaper brands broke up in tiny pieces and stayed on the skin. I figured they could have bacteria on them that could enter the body through that area.

I sure hope your daughter is better and you are more clear about what was causing the problem.

God bless, N.

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A.P.

answers from San Antonio on

I'd take her to the doctor no matter what. It's better to be safe than sorry. I hope she feels better soon.

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C.H.

answers from Odessa on

Definitely a UTI, take her in . My niece has one that took about 2 months and 4 different kinds of medicine to clear up and its reoccurring. She miserable when she gets them. No need it let her hurt, itch and feel ucky.

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C.M.

answers from Austin on

Take her to the doc to rule out UTI - it is a simple urine test. If it is not a UTI, then it is possible that it is iritated from bubble bath or soap products in the tub. I also have a 4 y.o. daughter who has had these symptoms off and on for about a year and the doctor keeps checking and telling me to make sure she wipes front to back and avoid bubble baths. She can soak in plain water as long as she wants, but when it's time to lather up, let all the water out of the tub and lather and rinse well. We bought a shower sprayer, so we could rinse her bottom well. I found one at Wal-Mart with an extra long hose, so that we can get low enough without making water go all over the bathroom. I guess UTIs are common, too, because little girls don't wipe that well and can get bacteria lodged in front. Hope you can get this resolved quickly.

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D.R.

answers from Houston on

I have read the responses and some advise the use of different body washes and soaps please check it out http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1
If you need safer alternatives I can help you find them.
Your toilet paper could also be drying her out to much. You could make safe wipes that will help keep her moist but clean.Make sure she is drinking more water than juice.

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L.B.

answers from Corpus Christi on

YES YES YES Has your daughter been around any one that could had hurt her? Please take her right away you may also be questioned because of this. Been there.

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B.G.

answers from Austin on

It sounds likely. If she had a bubble bath last night, it could be that. However, if it lasts more than 24 hours, I would suspect a UTI. Poor baby. Give her tons of cranberry juice in the meantime. Not cranberry juice cocktail. Good luck and get her to the doctor or urgent care as soon as you can.

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L.F.

answers from Houston on

Yes absolutely take her to her pediatrician to be see for this. She's not too young to have a UTI. My daughter had her one when she was five. Turned out it was a bad one. She's 13 now and is still seen by a pediatric urinary specialist yearly. It's not normal for little girls to have UTI's so early. While there is a problem, it is treatable. My daughter was on some medication for a bit, which cleared her right up. Hope this helps.

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J.K.

answers from Austin on

It could be a UTI or vaginitis. Both very treatable, but you should see a doctor just to confirm. You can try putting some baking soda in the bathwater to help calm the area down. Good luck!

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S.W.

answers from Houston on

Someone else already suggested the cranberry juice, that helps clear out the urinary tract. It is good for the whole family to drink from time to time and lots of water. Have you changed detergents or perhaps gotten the cheap, scratchy toilet paper? I have to be careful not to use Tide or anything other than Charmin or Cottonelle toilet paper. I could not use the bubble bath stuff either. When she pees, tell her to lean forward and it will help not to burn as much. Maybe use some Desitin ointment on the reddish area of the lips to see if that helps. Good luck.

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B.E.

answers from Houston on

You need to bring her to the doctors ASAP. You never know what uit could be from, and peace of mind by rulling out the worse that soemthing (else) might have happended to her..and if there is tearing inside her ) (that would cause the burn from peeing.. even if it's just a yeast infection that can be painful and a doctors perscriotion would help.

God Luck to you and your daughter - God Bless

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M.W.

answers from San Antonio on

Yes it sounds like a UTI. I just had one and went to the dr. Because of the pain. She said that there was only a small amount of bacteria and she could give me an anti-biotic but that I should try lots of water and cranberry juice. She said that the cranberry juice actually does fight the uti bacteria. I tried it and it worked in a couple of days so I didn't have to take the meds. I also took cranberry pills to try to put as much cranberry in my system. Hope this helps.

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S.H.

answers from Houston on

Yes, I'd say take her to the doctor. You don't want this (if it is an infection) to travel up the urinary tract to her kidneys and perhaps damage them.

As for the "natural method", I think this is great as far as eating is concerned, but you should be aware that the pioneers used this method, too, and their average life span was 29 years old. God has graciously allowed medical knowledge to flourish, and He uses means to cure his children. Please don't develop the mindset that if it is God's will, He will cure you or your children without medical intervention. Sometimes we need to use the means He has put in place. (By the same token, don't be in an all-fired rush to medicate your children just because the doctor says you should. I would definitely do research before letting my child take anything stronger than an antibiotic.)

Well, that's my two cents. But I'm a Christian, too, and the Lord has been so faithful to care for me through the wonderful doctors He has, in His grace, sent me to see.

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S.H.

answers from Houston on

Good idea to get it checked out. The doc should do a urine sample to verify if it is uti. If it tests positive then she will be prescribed antibiotics. Then the doc should send the urine sample to a lab to make sure that the antibiotice that she prescribed is the right fit for the bacteria. If not then the lab will test the bacteria growth and determine the best antibiotic to give her. My daughter did just have a uti and this is what happened with her. The first antibiotic did not work at all.

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E.M.

answers from San Antonio on

Hi J., please take your daughter to a Doctor. The more you wait the more pain she will be in. I have had at least 7 UTI's in my life and they are not fun! Bacteria builds up in the urethra and that is were the pain comes from. She will benefit from antibiotics.

Good luck,
Elisa

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A.W.

answers from Beaumont on

I would advise you to bring her in to see a urologist. I work for a few in the beaumont area, and what it sounds like to me is some sort of infection, like a uti. If you decide to take her to the dr, they will need a urine specimen and then they will be able to see what type of infection it is and then get her on some antibiotics. I would also advise that if she is taking baths, maybe try showers instead. My little girl has been taking showers since she was about her age due to always having uti's. Well hope she feels better.

B.B.

answers from Houston on

I've never had a UTI so I don't know much about that but I think you should absolutely take her to the doctor. It could be something small but she's your daughter and you never know. It's better to be safe than sorry. Just think about how uncomfortable she must be. Especially when she goes to the bathroom. I'll be sure to pray for her. Good luck with your new baby.

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L.K.

answers from Austin on

Yes, it sounds like a UTI. Give her cranberry juice to drink. If she does not like the taste you can give her cranberry tablets. They have them at Whole Foods.

Lisa

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C.M.

answers from Houston on

Take her to the doctor before using any creams or anything that is going to mask the symptoms. It sounds like a UTI or a yeast infection, but you need to know which one before it can be properly treated.

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M.H.

answers from Houston on

I am not a medical professional by any means, however, it seems to me that if her "innerds" arent hurting but, her "outers" are, perhaps its a yeast/bacteria type infection?
I would tend to think that if you have redness and swelling and it "burns", that is more of a rash-type situation.

Good luck in finding your answer and I hope your daughter feels better soon.

Margaret :)

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L.S.

answers from Odessa on

Sometimes, when girls/women don't drink enough water, that happens even though it's not exactly a UTI. A soak in a shallow bath with 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar will help restore her ph balance in that area, and she should get better quickly. If it's really terrible, though, she may need to see the doctor. Also, vaseline or a and d ointment can help, but that treats the symptoms, not the cause.

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T.C.

answers from Austin on

She's probably just not wiping herself well enough after going to the toilet. I'd try some medicated cream first to try to sooth it. My daughter has had this same problem more than once and the cream always sorts it - not to mention her being more vigilant about "keeping it clean".

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M.B.

answers from San Antonio on

Yes, take her to the doctor if you are not sure because whatever it is may get worse if you keep waiting. You can never be to safe with kids. About 3 weeks ago my 3 year old kept a low fever for about 3 days I took her to a weekend pediatric clinic (we were there all day) her fever was about 101 when we got there but they were more concerned with how her lungs sound so they gave her breathing treatments. When we got home I dropped her off with my husband to get her prescription filled for her breathing treatment. About 5 min. later my husband called & said he had to call the ambulance because my daughter had a seizure(because of her high fever) by the time we got to the hospital her fever was 105 after they did lab work they found out she had a UTI some kids get a fever with the UTI. So please take her to the DOC!

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C.B.

answers from Austin on

It sure sounds like a UTI. Call the Pedi and give them the symptoms NOW.

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C.G.

answers from San Antonio on

J.,she may not wipe very good. Also,we had the same thing with our little girl. We do not let her sit in any type of soap while taking a bath,this has seemed to help. Good Luck

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J.H.

answers from Austin on

Sounds like a UTI, easily treated with antibiotics! I'd get your daughter to the pediatrician. If these go untreated, they can migrate to the kidneys and create real problems. Good luck (my daughter is 3).

Also, if it's a UTI her pee won't look any different from normal. The burning sensation is the giveaway.

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C.W.

answers from Waco on

Hi J.,
When she bathes, be sure she is getting very, very clean there. Then watch her for a day or so and I would suggest that you do take her to the dr. My daughter had a similiar issue when she was a little girl and it turned out she had a very serious issue with her urinary tract , which the dr told me usually shows up in little girls between the ages of 2 and 4- it would not hurt to have her checked. Also, I would watch which acidy foods and drinks she was taking in- that could be a clue.
good luck
blessings

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H.H.

answers from Houston on

I'd take her. If she's hurting, then that's not really normal. She'll need antibiotics to clear the infection (if she's got one) and for that you need the doctor!

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K.W.

answers from San Antonio on

Yes its a UTI, and its important to take her to the doctor. She needs antibiotics. Yes Cranberry juice helps, but she still needs to take antibiotics! I hope she feels better soon!

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