Urinary Tract Infection in Children: Care Instructions

Overview

A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection that can occur anywhere between the kidneys and the urethra (where the urine comes out). Most UTIs are in the bladder. They often cause pain when the child urinates.

UTIs must be treated right away in infants and children. An infection that is not treated quickly can lead to kidney infection. Children who take medicine to treat the infection most often heal completely.

Follow-up care is a key part of your children's treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if any of your children is having problems. It's also a good idea to know your children's test results and keep a list of the medicines your children take.

How can you care for your child at home?

• If the doctor prescribed antibiotics for your child, give them as directed. Do not stop using them just because your child feels better. Your child needs to take the full course of antibiotics.
• Try to get your child to drink extra fluids for the next 24 hours. This will help flush bacteria out of the bladder. Do not give your child drinks that have caffeine or that are carbonated. They can make the bladder sore.
• Tell your child to urinate often and to empty the bladder each time.
• A warm bath may help your child feel better. Soaps and bubble baths can cause irritation. Wait until the end of the bath to use soap.

Preventing future UTIs

• Make sure that your child drinks plenty of water each day. This helps your child urinate often, which clears bacteria from the body.
• Encourage your child to urinate as soon as they need to.
• Offer your child foods with fiber such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This can help your child have regular stools that are soft and pass easily. Preventing constipation may also help prevent UTIs.

When should you call for help?

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• Your child is vomiting and cannot keep the medicine down.
• Your child cannot urinate at all.
• Your child has a new or higher fever or chills.
• Your child gets a new pain in the back just below the rib cage. This is called flank pain. (A very young child will not be able to tell you whether he or she has flank pain.)
• Your child's symptoms do not improve, or they go away and then return. These symptoms may include pain or burning when your child urinates; cloudy or discolored urine; a bad smell to the urine; or not being able to pass much urine.

Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

• Your child does not start to get better within 2 days.