What Is a Urinary Tract Infection?

The most common urinary issue in children is a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder infection.

This infection is far more frequent in girls than in boys due to basic anatomy.

In 95% of the cases, intestinal Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria have entered the bladder because of close proximity to the anus.

UTIs can occur when bacteria enters anywhere along the urinary tract, but the lower part, which is the urethra and bladder, is the most common occurrence, and this is called cystitis.

A UTI may cause obvious uncomfortable symptoms such as burning, pain, and/or urgency with urination; however, there may also only be a fever which is not caused by anything else.

The child may also be fussy, lack hunger, nauseous or could possibly vomit.

The urine will have a strange foul smell and maybe pink, red or cloudy with traces of blood.

The child might also experience pain in the lower abdomen or just below the rib cage and above the waist on one or both sides of the back.

What Your Doctor May Tell You About a Urinary Tract Infection

UTIs are generally considered urgent to prevent the spreading of infection and reducing the chances of kidney damage.

Your child’s doctor will most likely prescribe an antibiotic and maybe some added medication to help stop the UTI symptoms as quickly as possible.

Doctors will advise parents to make sure that girls wipe themselves properly to avoid infection and that all children should not hold their urine for long periods of time.

Constipation is also another factor that doctors say may trigger UTIs.

Most doctors today suggest cranberry juice as it is a proven effective treatment for preventing UTIs.

Another Way to Think About a Urinary Tract Infection

UTIs are an indication of an underlying immune problem, especially if the infections are chronic.

Although a UTI may seem like a simple bladder infection, it may be part of the collective toxic overload your child is undergoing which is also affecting the child’s sensory, nervous, immune and neurological systems.

Antibiotics can have a negative impact by further overloading the immune system and causing more concern for the child’s physical health and neurodevelopment because:

• For children under 3 years of age, overuse may be a contributing toxic overload factor, which can interrupt achievement of a child’s developmental milestones.
• Antibiotics kill good bacteria and bad bacteria, leaving the gastrointestinal tract (gut) predisposed to yeast overgrowth, diarrhea, Candida, and other pathogens.
• Many antibiotics have terrible side effects and may trigger allergic reactions.
• Antibiotics do not successfully kill all pathogenic bacteria, and some bacteria may persist in a resting state causing another infection later on.
• Unnecessary antibiotics with children prevent them from strengthening their own cellular defense system leaving their immune system weakened.

Urinary Tract Infection Checklist to Start

Drink water and cranberry juice:

Drink plenty of water with unsweetened cranberry juice (may add stevia as it is antibacterial) throughout the day and empty the bladder regularly.

Add fermented foods and probiotics daily:

These will keep the gastrointestinal system and microbiome healthy and strong, which in turn will keep the immune system strong.

• Eat kefir yogurts
• Eat fermented vegetables
• Eat umeboshi plums (very alkalizing)
• Eat miso soup, if soy is tolerated

Some good probiotics are:

• VSL#3
• Gut Pro
• Dr. Ohirra’s Live Cultured Probiotics
• Garden of Life
• Culturelle
• Klaire Labs

Use herbs, essential oils and natural supplements with your practitioner’s guidance:

• D-mannose: A glyconutrient that repopulates the good bacteria in the bladder to prevent re-infection
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Goldenseal
• Marshmallow root
• Uva ursi drops
• A good probiotic to keep the good intestinal microflora fighting the bad bacteria (there are special probiotics specific for UTI)
• Thieves Oil to fight infection: Massage, bathe and make a tea

Ask your pediatrician to run some laboratory tests for:

• Possible food sensitivities and allergies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) IgG, IgA, IgE and IgM
• Nutritional deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. The NutrEval by Genova Diagnostics Labs covers the following areas:
  • Malabsorption
  • Dysbiosis
  • Cellular energy
  • Mitochondrial metabolism
  • Neurotransmitter metabolism
  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • Toxin exposure
  • Detoxification need
• Bacterial and yeast overgrowth
• Gluten and casein sensitivities
• Organic acids: The organic acid test by Great Plains Laboratory for:
  • Yeast overgrowth (Candida)
  • Oxalates
  • Other microbial infections
• Comprehensive Stool Analysis by Genova Diagnostic Labs to identify:
  • Malabsorption
  • Maldigestion
  • Altered gastrointestinal function
  • Bacterial/fungal overgrowth
  • Chronic dysbiosis

Use homeopathy specific for urinary tract infections:

• Cantharsis
• Pulsatilla

A classically trained homeopath may help with the underlying emotional issues as well as the physical ones.

See a homeopath or naturopath:

These practitioners can diagnose and treat gastrointestinal disorders naturally so that the child’s immune, sensory, neurological and nervous systems develop without being compromised.

See a chiropractor:

A chiropractor can perform spinal cord adjustments for spinal cord adjustments for gastrointestinal disorders and treatment of the vagus nerve and ileocecal valve.

See a well-trained acupuncturist:

Acupuncture can help strengthen the small and large intestines, liver, kidney and lungs.

See a craniosacral practitioner:

Craniosacral therapy can effectively stimulate the cranial and vagus nerve soft tissue.

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