How to Treat Urinary Tract Infection in Kids

Urinary tract infections can range from uncomfortable to unbearable for anyone, but children are usually not nearly as good at coping with conditions as adults are. A UTI could result in several absences from school and some really serious discomfort. These tips should cut the duration of the infection to a minimum.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Cranberry juice or tablets
• Garlic or garlic tablets

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Discuss bathroom practices with your child in order to investigate one possible cause. If your daughter is suffering from a bladder infection, be certain that she always wipes from front to back, and that she is wiping very well. If this is not the case, that could very well be the cause of infection.

• 2

  Inform your child that instead of squatting while using public restrooms, it is smarter to use a seat protector or toilet paper along the seat. Squatting makes it virtually impossible to completely empty the bladder, which can cause a UTI.

• 3

  Change your child's drinking and eating habits until the infection is cleared up (and even after in order to help with future infections). Make sure your child is drinking plenty of water and give her at least one glass of cranberry juice a day. Be sure it is 100% juice and not simply a sugary drink low in actual fruit juice. Ban drinks like soda and coffee, as caffeine can make the infection worse. You should also limit citrus fruits, spicy foods and chocolate.

• 4

  Purchase some supplements from your local drug store, such as cranberry and garlic tablets to help fight the UTI. Cranberry makes the walls of the bladder slick so that bacteria has a harder time sticking to it. Garlic has natural antibacterial qualities.

• 5

  Schedule an appointment with your family doctor if it does not go away quickly. It is best to avoid resorting to antibiotics because overuse of them has been linked to recurrent infections (the bacteria will eventually stop responding to the antibiotics). However, if the infection will not go away this is the way to go. Ask your doctor if she has any additional tips for preventing future infections that might pertain to your child.