(RxWiki News) Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often associated with women of childbearing years and is jokinigly referred to as honeymooner's disease. But, little girls and boys, can get UTIs too.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued new, less painful treatment guidelines for children under two years of age who have their first UTI. These new guidelines are found in "Technical Report—Diagnosis and Management of an Initial UTI in Febrile Infants and Young Children."
"Ask a pediatrician how to treat your baby's UTI."
S. Maria Finnell, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana School of Medicine, lead author of the technical report and an author of the AAP policy statement reports that if a baby has a fever without a diagnosed source, the pediatrician needs to test for a urinary tract infection (UTI).
The doctor recommends foregoing the painful radiological testing, called voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG), formerly recommended when a UTI is suspected.
Dr. Finnell also doesn't recommend the long-term prophylactic antibiotic regimen any longer because it doesn't decrease future UTIs.
Stephen M. Downs, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and co-author of the new technical report concludes that the AAP is the voice of authority regarding pediatric clinical practice guidelines and views this report as changing the way doctors around the country treat UTIs in infants and toddlers.
Dr. Downs was also an author of the previous AAP guideline for UTI treatment.
The new guidelines include a diagnosis from a urine specimen followed by antimicrobial therapy. If severe, hospitalization may be necessary as well.
This report and the new AAP guidelines are published in the September 2011 issue of Pediatrics.
