18 September 2023 , 09:16
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Thousands of children are thought to be at risk of developing long-term damage to the bladder and kidneys after missing out on vital treatment for common urinary tract infections (UTIs), experts have warned. Kidney infections can be very serious if not treated, as it could cause life-threatening sepsis.
If caught early, UTIs can be treated with antibiotics, which destroys the bacteria causing the problem - but sometimes people will need an extended course, or the infection will return. According to the NHS, if they keep coming back or are hard-to-treat, a GP may refer you to a specialist for further tests and treatments. But insiders have told the Mail On Sunday that too few GPs are organising referrals, which means children are being denied effective medication.
UTIs are the most frequent childhood bacterial infection, with around one in 10 and one in 30 boys being affected. Symptoms include pain or burning when peeing, needing to urinate more often, including in the night or have cloudy-looking pee. However, if someone starts having more worrying symptoms, such as a very high or low temperature, feel confused or drowsy, experiencing pain in the lower stomach or in the back, just under the ribs, or having blood in their urine - it could be a sign of a kidney infection, which could lead to sepsis.
Sepsis, also known as septicaemia or blood poisoning, is a life threatening condition, which occurs when your "immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs," states the NHS. If sepsis is allowed to progress it can damage the lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs, and can be fatal.
Sepsis can have many symptoms, many of which are also sigs of other conditions such as flu or chest infections. Some of the other common symptoms of sepsis, according to the NHS, are:
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- weakness
- chills
- a rapid heart and breathing rate
- low blood pressure
- a change in mental state, like confusion or disorientation
- diarrhoea
- nausea or vomiting
- cold, clammy and pale skin
If you, or someone else you know is experiencing symptoms of sepsis, you should call 999 or go to A&E immediately. It's important to "trust your instincts". This is especially important for babies or young children. Below are the symptoms you should look for:
- blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast
- a weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry
- not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
- being sleepier than normal or difficult to wake
UTIs is a common cause of sepsis in infants, which is why it's so important to be aware of the symptoms. Many GPs are reportedly unaware that children with UTIs require specialist treatment, according to the patient group Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Campaign. Alison Pearce, a director of the patient group, told The Mail On Sunday: "We regularly hear from worried parents who have a child with a drug-resistant UTI who can’t get a referral. Some GPs have outdated views about these infections and don't believe they need the attention of a specialist.
"We're also worried about the number of parents who tell us they've got a referral from their GP only to find out there is no specialist who can see them. We believe there aren't enough NHS doctors who specialise in UTIs in children. Even big hospitals don't have the resources to treat these cases."