Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an excruciating illness of the bladder, kidney, urethra and ureters. Urinary tract infection in children is very common and can cause severe discomfort. Here are some tips to help you treat UTI so you can stop your toddler from writhing in pain.

Medications

Urinary tract infection is treated with antibiotics. This medicine helps fight bacterial infection. Make sure to give your toddler antibiotics exactly as suggested by your health care provider. Do not stop offering it to your toddler just because he feels better. Your toddler has to consume all the medicine until his UTI is gone. The number of days your toddler has to take the medication depends on the infection, the type of antibiotic and your toddler’s age.

Children’s acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) and ibuprofen (e.g. Advil or Motrin) may also be given to your toddler to reduce pain and fever. You can buy these medicines over-the-counter as long as you give the right dosage (based on your toddler’s age and weight) to your child.

Plenty of Fluids

Encourage your toddler to drink plenty of fluids to make him urinate more so his bladder can wash out the bacteria in his system. Have him drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Avoid sugary and caffeinated drinks such as smoothies, juice, soda and iced tea as they only make the infection worse.

Encourage Bathroom Breaks

Change your toddler’s diaper frequently. If he is potty training, teach your toddler not to hold his urine and to empty his bladder every 3 hours or whenever he feels he needs to. Toddlers are prone to holding urine for long periods of time because they are too busy playing which causes urinary tract infection since urine stored in the bladder for a long time is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Modify Your Toddler’s Eating Habits

Eating too much junk food, chocolates, spicy and citrusy foods can cause rapid production of bacteria which promotes infection. Offer your little one foods that have plenty of natural antibiotics such as cranberry (dried, juice or tablet form), apple, pear, gingerroot, radish, shallot, garlic, onion, low sugar yogurt, broccoli, green beans, carrots, potatoes, squash, spinach and zucchini to boost your child’s immune system and completely wipe out the infection.

Hot Compress

Place a hot water bottle or warm compress on your toddler’s lower abdomen to relax the muscles and ease the pain. You may also rub juniper or tea tree oil on his lower abdomen after to prolong the soothing effect.

Plenty of Rest

Let your toddler rest while his body is fighting the illness especially if he has a fever. Engage in quiet play such as reading, drawing, coloring and working on simple puzzles to keep him as comfortable as possible. His body needs to fully recover to avoid urinary tract infection from coming back and make your little one even sicker.

If your toddler is not feeling better within 2 days after trying these remedies, set an appointment with your pediatrician. Your doctor may give you a different medicine, administer some tests or require your toddler to be hospitalized.