If your child has a urinary tract infection and has been lethargic, irritable, or not drinking or eating well, these symptoms should begin to improve in 1 - 2 days after treatment begins.
(Note: if your child has a brain or nervous system disorder or abnormal changes or defects in their urinary tract, talk to your doctor before following these instructions.)
Your child will be given antibiotics to be taken by mouth at home. These may come as pills, capsules, or a liquid.
Your doctor may also give your child a drug to relieve the burning pain and urgent need to urinate. The urine will have an orange or red color when taking this drug. Your child will still need to take antibiotics.
Preventing Future Urinary Tract Infections
Changes in your child’s bathing or hygiene may help prevent some UTIs:
Constipation should be avoided. Your child should {eat foods with high fiber-60-193], such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables.
See or call your child's health care provider after your child finishes taking antibiotics to make sure that the infection is gone.
Call right away if the following symptoms develop:
These may be signs of a possible kidney infection.
Also call if your child has already been diagnosed with a UTI and the symptoms come back shortly after your child finishes antibiotics.
At any time in the future, call your health care provider for symptoms of a bladder infection:
White B. Diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections in children. Am Fam Physician. 2011 Feb 15;83(4):409-15.
Williams G, Craig JC. Long-term antibiotics for preventing recurrent urinary tract infection in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Mar 16;(3):CD001534
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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