Hi! I brought my 3-year-old to the pediatrician because of some recent potty training setbacks. She’s had many accidents, even though everything else—like frequency and consistency—seemed fine. They performed a urine test and just notified me that it came back positive for E. coli. I was quite startled and asked if it was dangerous, but they said it’s a very common occurrence and told me not to worry. She was prescribed Cefdinir for 10 days, and they want a follow-up sample 10 days after the treatment ends. Online searches indicate that antibiotics might not be required and that it’s highly infectious, but the doctor claimed she can still attend school and go about her day. The office is closed now, so I can’t call to clarify, and they aren’t the most helpful staff anyway. Does anyone have any insight?
An E. coli UTI is not transmissible and absolutely requires antibiotics. While E. coli is normal in the digestive tract (where it can be contagious and often doesn’t need meds), it is not supposed to be in the urine.
- Stop using Google for medical diagnosis. 2. E. coli is a frequent culprit in urinary tract infections and needs the prescribed antibiotics. It isn’t contagious, so your child can go to school. 3. This is a very typical issue for girls who are potty training. Don’t stress too much.