HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Antibiotics for Urinary Tract Infections in Children
Why It Is Used
Antibiotics treat a UTI and prevent complications of infection such as kidney damage.
Antibiotics also prevent infections in children who have had or may be at risk for recurrent UTIs. The doctor might prescribe preventive antibiotic therapy if your child has:
- Had more than two UTIs in a 6-month period.
- A structural problem, such as Reference vesicoureteral reflux Opens New Window, that increases the risk of additional infections.
Doctors are undecided about how long a child should take preventive antibiotics. But some experts believe that long-term use of low-dose antibiotics can safely prevent UTIs in children, especially in children who have vesicoureteral reflux.Reference 1 Whether long-term antibiotics prevent kidney damage needs more study.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 22, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics
Reference Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology |
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