There have been several threads over the past year or 2 on VUR/UTIs, so I'd also suggest searching on reflux, UTI, VUR, etc. You could also search on all my posts, since I've had so few over the years, and look for mine on the subject.
My son had his first UTI at 2 months old, and had the two tests (Ultrasound, and VCUG--that's the one you're talking about). He did have VUR, and we put him on low-dose preventative antibiotics for 10 months, and then re-did the VCUG at one, since they often outgrow it (he did, so luckily he won't need any more VCUGs!!). In my readings on VUR, everything I read said at the very first UTI, a child should automatically be tested for VUR, since it can do such irreperable damage to the kidneys. I have also read message boards on this stuff, and there are definitely kids who didn't have their first (diagnosed) UTI until later, 3-4ish, and did in fact have VUR. So just because it didn't happen early with my son doesn't mean your child would be less likely to have VUR or something. Oh, and by the way, yes VUR is hereditary, but no one in my family/dh's family had ever had it before (afaik) so that doesn't mean anything necessarily. Oh, and I've never ever heard of VUR kids having poor weight gain, sallow skin, any of those things you mentioned. My child certainly didn't, and everything I've read indicates that you can't tell a child has VUR from any symptoms or anything like you describe. And they don't necessarily have to have chronic UTIs at all, they can just have one.
So, I guess you could wait until (if) there's a 2nd UTI, on the grounds that if she has another it's probably a problem, but if she has one it's just a fluke, and if she never has another then there's not going to be any kidney damage (if you catch it in time like you did the first). HOWEVER, the one problem with that is that they can have SILENT UTIs that you never even know about. In fact, your daughter could have had UTIs before now and you might not have even known it.
So, I'd recommend doing the test. No, it's not a pleasant test, but it's far better than her having an undiagnosed condition that causes long term damage, imo. If you check my other posts, I think I've written a bunch of times about the testing experiences we had, so I won't write it up again.
And one more thing, if she ever has a UTI again, or for anyone else reading this. I've heard a lot of people who avoid antibiotics for UTIs (for themselves as adults, as well as for children). I know a lot of folks here are anti-abx. But PLEASE PLEASE always give abx to child/self w/a UTI, and take them till they're done, because more often than not, an untreated UTI can lead to a kidney infection (with or without VUR), which is very serious. This is one case where abx are really necessary.
My son had his first UTI at 2 months old, and had the two tests (Ultrasound, and VCUG--that's the one you're talking about). He did have VUR, and we put him on low-dose preventative antibiotics for 10 months, and then re-did the VCUG at one, since they often outgrow it (he did, so luckily he won't need any more VCUGs!!). In my readings on VUR, everything I read said at the very first UTI, a child should automatically be tested for VUR, since it can do such irreperable damage to the kidneys. I have also read message boards on this stuff, and there are definitely kids who didn't have their first (diagnosed) UTI until later, 3-4ish, and did in fact have VUR. So just because it didn't happen early with my son doesn't mean your child would be less likely to have VUR or something. Oh, and by the way, yes VUR is hereditary, but no one in my family/dh's family had ever had it before (afaik) so that doesn't mean anything necessarily. Oh, and I've never ever heard of VUR kids having poor weight gain, sallow skin, any of those things you mentioned. My child certainly didn't, and everything I've read indicates that you can't tell a child has VUR from any symptoms or anything like you describe. And they don't necessarily have to have chronic UTIs at all, they can just have one.
So, I guess you could wait until (if) there's a 2nd UTI, on the grounds that if she has another it's probably a problem, but if she has one it's just a fluke, and if she never has another then there's not going to be any kidney damage (if you catch it in time like you did the first). HOWEVER, the one problem with that is that they can have SILENT UTIs that you never even know about. In fact, your daughter could have had UTIs before now and you might not have even known it.
So, I'd recommend doing the test. No, it's not a pleasant test, but it's far better than her having an undiagnosed condition that causes long term damage, imo. If you check my other posts, I think I've written a bunch of times about the testing experiences we had, so I won't write it up again.
And one more thing, if she ever has a UTI again, or for anyone else reading this. I've heard a lot of people who avoid antibiotics for UTIs (for themselves as adults, as well as for children). I know a lot of folks here are anti-abx. But PLEASE PLEASE always give abx to child/self w/a UTI, and take them till they're done, because more often than not, an untreated UTI can lead to a kidney infection (with or without VUR), which is very serious. This is one case where abx are really necessary.
