How to Prevent UTI in Children

A urinary tract Infection (UTI) can develop at any age and can affect both males and females, although they are more common in females. When the E. coli bacteria enter the opening to the urinary tract, also known as the urethra, the bacteria cling to the walls of the urinary tract and grow, causing a urinary tract Infection. Common symptoms of a urinary tract Infection include burning during urination, compulsive urges to urinate but producing very little to no urine, lower abdominal pain, and dark, strong-smelling urine. When children develop urinary tract infections, recognizing the symptoms can be quite difficult; the child might cry when urinating, run a low-grade fever, vomit or have diarrhea. UTIs can be quite painful, so it is best to take proper precautions to prevent your child from developing this infection.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Glasses
• Measuring cup
• Cranberry juice
• Cotton underwear

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Instructions

Protecting Your Child from the UTI

• 1

  Have the child consume at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Drinking too little water can result in the child not producing enough urine to flush bacteria from the body; that bacteria can develop into a urinary tract infection.

• 2

  Combine 1/2 cup of unsweetened cranberry juice and 1/2 cup of water in a glass, and give the child at least one glass of this diluted cranberry juice a day. Cranberries contain natural bacteria-fighting properties that keep the E coli bacteria from clinging to the walls of the urinary tract. Don't give the child more than two glasses of the diluted cranberry juice a day, because that could cause diarrhea.

• 3

  Switch to full-coverage cotton underwear. Undergarments made from synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester can irritate the genital area, creating a natural habitat for bacteria. Cotton underwear can greatly reduce irritation of the genitals.

• 4

  Discontinue bubble baths. Many doctors believe that soaps containing fragrance and dyes can irritate the genital area, which can promote the growth of bacteria.

• 5

  Encourage the child to not hold urine in. When urine is trapped inside the bladder, the kidneys absorb toxins and bacteria that need to be released during urination. Absorption of these toxins and bacteria can cause a urinary tract infection.

• 6

  Have the child wipe from front to back when urinating or producing stool. Wiping from back to front can allow bacteria from the rectum to be pushed toward the urethra, possibly transferring bacteria.