What does a Kidney Infection feel like?

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  1. How comfortable are you in doing a urine catheterization in girls under 2 years old?

    • 2
      very uncomfortable
    • 2
      uncomfortable
    • 3
      comfortable
    • 1
      very comfortable

8 members have participated

OK...beyond the textbook description.

Have you had a kidney infection or can you describe in 3 words what a kidney infection/acute pyelonephritis feels like?

I am collecting words to build a word cloud (you can google to see examples) to share with pediatricians and pediatric nurses and help explain what children under 2 years of age must be feeling when they have a kidney infection. These babies and toddlers are too young to tell us...so will you help?

When we complete the project, I will share the cloud...hopefully it will be good!

Thanks for your participation!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I'm not a pedi nurse - but the descriptor I have heard most often is "backache". People don't usually associate it with kidney problems because they think the kidneys are lower.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

If you're looking for words two year olds would say/understand, then maybe "ouchie" or "owie". Children that age aren't going to be able to get that detailed; they're just going to let you know it hurts and maybe point to show you where.

It's been a long time since I was a peds nurse, though. Maybe you could post this in the "Specialty" forum, under the "Pediatrics" sub-forum.

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We are looking for words that adults or older children would use to describe their experience. When talking to people who have had them they usually say "Oh my g.., I thought I was going to die. I felt horrible." So words like miserable, horrible, fearful...

The word cloud will be used to explain to healthcare professionals and maybe parents...to give them an idea of how adults feel and therefore how the little ones must be feeling.

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Not sure about many "words" per say.

Many children have a hard time verbalizing their pains. Typically symptoms like refusing to eat, enuresis in a previously potty trained child, rubbing of stomach or back, fever, crying with urination, hx of constipation, holding urine/stool in a child that typically has no issues, and increase/decrease in fluid consumption are large clues.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
We are looking for words that adults or older children would use to describe their experience. When talking to people who have had them they usually say "Oh my g.., I thought I was going to die. I felt horrible." So words like miserable, horrible, fearful...

The word cloud will be used to explain to healthcare professionals and maybe parents...to give them an idea of how adults feel and therefore how the little ones must be feeling.

As an adult? Well I can't tell you on here because I would get banned. But I'm sure you get the idea.

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That is exactly my point! Your words matter though...

thanks

:)

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We are looking for words (adjectives) that describe how a person feels...words about their experience:

(I think my post is confusing) but here are some words that we have gotten so far...you can use these or add some new ones...

Excruciating, Agonizing, Intense, Exhausting, painful, horrible, nauseating, debilitating, draining...

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
We are looking for words (adjectives) that describe how a person feels...words about their experience:

(I think my post is confusing) but here are some words that we have gotten so far...you can use these or add some new ones...

Excruciating, Agonizing, Intense, Exhausting, painful, horrible, nauseating, debilitating, draining...

It is confusing. I think just telling parents that it's severe back pain would be sufficient.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

And what are we talking about...the kidney infection or a nurse's comfort doing female pediatric urinary catheterization? Also, I think pediatricians and pediatric nurses already know how to describe kidney infections and catheterizations to parents.

And I'm confused because you've changed the subject from two year olds to adults and older children. Pain perception varies depending on the age of the patient; what is painful for a toddler may not be the same for an older child; what an older child experiences as painful may not be the same for an adult.

I guess I'm having a dense day, because I don't understand the purpose of this. If it were something the parents could search for themselves, then that I could see. I don't see it being very useful for health care professionals. No offense meant.

Are you a nurse?

ETA: OK, sorry, I see you're pre-nursing.

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This is similar to a recent post of mine that was confusing, so I'm reposting more clearly.

If you have had a kidney infection are you willing to share words to explain how you felt and your experience? Your emotions or distress at the time.

You can also add words on behalf of someone who has had a kidney infection. Like a friend or relative...or words that you have heard patients say.

Try to think of 3 or more words that describe how you or the person with the infection felt.

I will take the words and create a word cloud and share it back, for example: word cloud

Some ideas for the types of words: Excruciating, agonizing, painful, nauseating...

Thanks for your help.

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Well, you've gotten some words already. I'm not sure how many different ways you can say "excruciating". Any synonym of that.

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