Any parents had a DD who has had a UTI, or a sensory disorder?

[LaurLaur04]

Monday my mother picked my daughter up from preschool. Halfway down the hallways my DD started grabbing herself and screaming "it hurts! it hurts!" My mom promptly brought her to my work (I'm an x-ray tech at an urgent care) and told me to take a look. I didn't see a rash or anything so I got the PA to look. He didn't see anything either, and suggested my mom take her to the ER since we didn't catheterize little kids and she refused to pee for me. When they got to the ER, DD finally peed and peed so much it soaked her diaper and got all over my mother. She kept crying and screaming though. Her urine turned out clean (only a small bit of blood which is usually from the cath hitting the bladder wall). They put her on antibiotics anyway just in case that large amount she peed earlier cleared it out enough to not show on the urinalysis. That was Monday. 2 days and 5 doses of antibiotic later, she is STILL crying/screaming with it hurting. Her preschool said she was fine all day but when I got her she immediately started.

My question is, have any parents experienced this? I am having trouble believing its a UTI because I know when I have had them after a dose or 2 of antibiotic it feels much better. She wont sleep in her bed since then (she has NEVER slept with me her entire life) and will only fall asleep if I let her watch cartoons in the bed with me. The PA I work with suggested maybe a sensory disorder...meaning she doesn't like how it feels when she needs to urinate and therefore it "hurts". The idea of autism has been tossed around before since she was born....due to strange eating habits, strict schedules, and frequent arm flapping. Anyone have incite? Taking her to her pediatrician tomorrow...just looking for someone who may have experienced this!!

 

[TeaToo!]

Have you thought about a kidney stone?

I hope you figure it out soon. So tough when they are little and cant explain.

 

[kelleyrn2000]

As a mom with a dd (8) who has had many UTI's due to kidney reflux, they should have sent the urine out for culture, which typically takes 2-3 days. They may not have if the uniralysis was normal, but if they suspected a UTI that would have been the best thing, IMO. If there isn't growth of bacteria (usually E. Coli) than that along with her urinalysis would mean no UTI. Typically with a UTI, they tend to urinate in smaller amounts and more frequently. And they may cry/scream as they urinate, but not always.
The urine may smell foul or fishy.

I don't have any experience with the sensory issues, but definitely worth mentioning to the pediatrician tomorrow. GL with her appointment tomorrow, and I hope you can figure things out.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I work with special needs preschoolers and one thing you said really caught my attention. You said her teachers say she's fine at school but she immediately starts to cry about the pain when she sees you. That and the fact that she will only fall asleep watching cartoons in your bed suggests it may have turned into a way to get attention. She may well have had an infection that has now subsided. The level of attention she received when she first complained about the pain made an impression on her and now she's perpetuating it to keep that attention coming. That's certainly not to say that she doesn't get enough attention, but angling for attention is something we see all the time with our students.

We have one little girl whose parents are concerned that she doesn't eat enough. Whenever she says she's hungry, the parents immediately jump into action and try to find something she will eat. Usually, she's not hungry at all. She just likes to see mommy and daddy jumping through hoops for her. She used to tell us she was hungry when we just watched her eat her entire snack. We would just say, "You can eat when you get home." Now she doesn't try it with us anymore. She also tells us she has to pee about 6 times a day during a 3 hour class. When she was potty training, she saw how everyone would jump to take her when she asked to go and she would get rewarded for going. That was at least 6 months ago and she is still looking for the attention that comes along with potty training because she sees us doing it with other kids.

Your DD may still have something going on so it is definitely worth following up. I just wanted to toss out this idea since your situation sounded similar to some I've seen before. Hope you get it resolved soon!

 

[DVCJones]

Poor baby

By chance, could she be constipated? My DD had a similar experience as you described. It turned out she was REALLY constipated. It was explained by her pediatrician...If a child suffers from constipation and has trouble with BMs, over time the bowel becomes enlarged and packed with stool and presses on the bladder. This causes the symptoms you describe.

I had to give my DD Magnesium Citrate and wait for the effects to empty her out. (we couldn't be too far from a toilet)Then I was told to follow up with 4 months of Miralax. This allowed her bowels to shrink back to normal size allowing her to have an easier time passing stool.

The magnesium citrate made her feel better pretty quickly.

I would check with your Pedi...but don't be surprised if they tell you she is constipated. Good luck

 

[sbsteel]

I work with special needs preschoolers and one thing you said really caught my attention. You said her teachers say she's fine at school but she immediately starts to cry about the pain when she sees you. That and the fact that she will only fall asleep watching cartoons in your bed suggests it may have turned into a way to get attention. She may well have had an infection that has now subsided. The level of attention she received when she first complained about the pain made an impression on her and now she's perpetuating it to keep that attention coming. That's certainly not to say that she doesn't get enough attention, but angling for attention is something we see all the time with our students.

What she said.

Seriously, I grew up with severe cases of UTIs (kidney reflux) to the point of multiple hospitalizations and two surgeries by the time I was in college. The symptoms you're describing don't quite fit the bill. UTIs typically cause frequent urination with little output, pain, dark/cloudy urine, and a strong smell. In my case, it also met with fever and severe side/back pain.

I do hope you can get to the bottom of this and your little girl feels better soon!

 

[1stluvispooh]

My DD 9 is High Functioning Autistic. We have had several times when she would complain that it hurt to pee so she would refuse. She also had a constipation. Usually she was constipated first and then get a UTI. It was a viscose circle. So there were several things that we did. One was listening therapy (I know it sounds wired for this problem but her bathroom issues got better! She hated the sound of a flushing toilet so she a) wouldn't go or b) not flush) We also made sure she would have some cranberry juice during the day. It is now her favorite drink! I also put her on probiotics. That helped with constipation. I must admit it took a while to find one that she would take and worked the best for her. It also helps if she has some yeast overgrowth (candia) which autistic kids have a tenancy to have.

Hope this helps I am writing this really fast because I really should be off to the gym! PM me if you have any questions. Good luck!

 

[golfgal]

I wonder if she is afraid to go to the bathroom at school and is holding it-which can be uncomfortable so to her it may seem like "pain".

 

[Erin1700]

I thought the culture usually shows which medicine will work best, as in there is not just one antibiotic that works for all UTi's. Maybe she needs a different one??

 

[LaurLaur04]

They did do a culture and sensitivity and I suspect it should come back today or tomorrow. So far this morning she hasn't mentioned hurting at all so I am not going to say anything or ask her if she still does. As a child my sister and I both had to have our urethras stretched so I am wondering if maybe she needs hers stretched as well? It is odd that she feels better after urinating...because when I have a UTI it hurts like heck when I do!! I am starting to really think this is a psychological thing. She has a bowel movement daily so I don't think that is the problem...though I could be wrong. I am getting ready to take her to the doctor I will keep you guys posted! Thanks for all the replies!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

They did do a culture and sensitivity and I suspect it should come back today or tomorrow. So far this morning she hasn't mentioned hurting at all so I am not going to say anything or ask her if she still does. As a child my sister and I both had to have our urethras stretched so I am wondering if maybe she needs hers stretched as well? It is odd that she feels better after urinating...because when I have a UTI it hurts like heck when I do!! I am starting to really think this is a psychological thing. She has a bowel movement daily so I don't think that is the problem...though I could be wrong. I am getting ready to take her to the doctor I will keep you guys posted! Thanks for all the replies!

Normally I would agree with you however my 13yodd had UTI without ANY painful symptoms, except that her stomach hurt and she felt blah.

My sister felt "pressure" and never had any pain either.

So it is possible.

 

[lovin diz]

sorry you are going through this... my dd started having them in first grade, and it didnt stop for about 4 years...she had constant high fever...a few proceedures, and on daily meds, b/c if she just stayed on the antibiotic, it would come back...it was rough, and one day they just stopped..good luck!!

 

[tiggger1]

Is she red at all down there? I have a constant issue with my dd6 who doesnt like to feel wet down there, so she is constantly wiping. Unfortunately the constant wiping makes her a bit red/raw and if she holds it too long she might drip a bit and then she does the same thing your dd does cries that it hurts until she goes and then she is fine for a bit. I have to constantly give her sitz baths and make sure she is dry after baths and I even have her put either Eucurin and/or neosporin to help her heal . She has been tested for UTI's/kidney reflux and is taking meds for constipation

 

[tiggger1]

forgot to add that because she wipes so much she tends to leave pieces of tp behind ( they use the cheap stuff at school!) So they make it even more irritated...I have to make sure she really washes down there...

 

[LaurLaur04]

Well we are back from the doctor! She of course wouldnt pee in a cup so they didn't retest her urine. The doctor looked and said he saw a tiny bit of discharge associated with yeast infection, but was concerned since there is no redness around at all. He called her in a Rx for Diflucan and told me only to pick it up if she finishes the antibiotics and is still having symptoms. I am not really satisfied with this, but I guess I will give her a few more days to see what happens. I am really beginning to think its psychological. Her preschool teacher told me this morning that she was complaining last week that her butt her...but of course when she was with me she never said a word....now its the opposite she says nothing at school, only with me.