• Front to back wiping in girls. Gentle cleansing of the genitalia, particularly after a bowel movement, is important in keeping the number of bacteria down. Whether you clean your child's genital area, or she is old enough to wipe herself, be sure that the cleansing motion is front to back, since cleaning from the other direction will increase the risk of contaminating the urethral area with the large number of bacteria found in all stool.



• No bubble baths. Although we usually think of soapy bubbles as good cleaning agents, it turns out that not only is bubble bath an irritant to the skin, soapy solutions are perfect places for bacteria to thrive. A common cause of bladder infections in girls is high bacterial contamination from bubble baths, so these should be avoided in girls with UTIs. If your daughter doesn't have a problem with urinary tract infections, short bubble baths (about 15 minutes), followed by rinsing in clear water, are OK. If possible, she also should urinate immediately after a bubble bath.



• Avoid irritation to the genital area. Bacteria grow best in irritated areas, so it is helpful to avoid anything that might irritate a child's genital region such as irritating soaps (especially harsh soaps and those with perfumes and dyes), shampoos (shampoo hair at the end of a bath, or better yet in the shower), and bubble bath. Also avoid rough toilet tissue or vigorous wiping. Gentle cleansing with warm water alone is sufficient to keep the genital area clean in young children.



• Limit bath time to a 15-minute soak at most, and encourage your child urinate as soon as her bath is finished.



• Avoid synthetic underwear. Nylon and other synthetic underwear may help promote bacterial growth, therefore children with recurrent urinary tract infections should wear only loosely fitting, white cotton underwear and, if possible, they should sleep without underwear.



• Avoid chronic constipation since this may predispose a child to urinary tract infections by distending the rectum and distorting the bladder, keeping it from emptying normally.



• Encourage fluids. Urine normally flushes out any bacteria that get into the urinary tract . If you child doesn't drink adequate amounts of fluids, she may not produce enough urine to flush out the bacteria.



• Frequent emptying of the bladder. Your child should be encouraged to empty her bladder regularly (at least every four hours), and right before bedtime and after baths (particularly bubble baths). The longer urine stays in the bladder, the more chance bacteria will have to grow.



• Cranberry juice may help prevent infections in some people. Too much cranberry juice, however, can cause diarrhea. It should be noted that while cranberry juice may help prevent some urinary tract infections, it is not effective for treating them.



• Cleaning uncircumcised males. Uncircumcised boysboys have a higher rate of urinary tract infections than circumcised boys because bacteria can thrive under the foreskin. Once the foreskin becomes retractable, the area should be gently cleaned regularly to help reduce the risk of infection.



• Circumcision. Some uncircumcised males who have recurrent UTIs , particularly those with phimosis (or too small an opening of the foreskin at the tip of penis for good flow of urine), may benefit from circumcision.

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