How can UTIs be treated?

Your healthcare practitioner will test a urine specimen for infection. If it tests positive in the office, he/she will send it out for a urinalysis for culture and sensitivity. Once your child has been diagnosed with a UTI, the infection will normally be treated with an antibiotic to kill the bacteria.

How can UTIs be prevented?

The idea is to keep the opening of the urethra as clean as possible to prevent bacteria from building up and gaining access. The risk of developing a UTI can be reduced in children by:

• Changing diapers frequently (every 2-3 hours)
• Wiping from front to back after going to the bathroom
• Consider wearing cotton underwear
• Urinating frequently (every 2-3 hours)
• Preventing and treating constipation with fiber supplementation

Some children who get frequent UTIs may have an underlying problem with their urinary tract, causing them to suffer more serious upper urinary tract infections. The most common underlying problem is vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), which affects about 1% of all children.