My 10 yr old daughter is prone to urinary tract infections. How many mg of cranberry extract (in soft gel form) should she be taking as a precautionary measure?
Follow the directions on the container- if it was my child I would cut the dose in half just because she is not an adult, no matter how grown up she looks. Remember that if you use the juice to make sure it is actual juice, not just cranberry flavored stuff. I would also let your doc know what supplements she is using because they can interact with each other and prescription meds.
I copied from tips from the internet, but would add to these that she should take showers instead of baths so bacteria can't make their way into her bladder while she's soaking. If she has to take baths, no bubble bath or salts since that decreases the surface tension of the water and makes it easier for an infection to start.
The most important tip to prevent urinary tract infections, bladder infections, and kidney infections is to practice good personal hygiene.
Always wipe from front to back after a bowel movement or urination, and wash the skin around and between the rectum and vagina daily. Washing before and after sexual intercourse may also decrease a woman's risk of UTI.
Drinking plenty of fluids (water) each day will help flush bacterium out of the urinary system and emptying the bladder as soon as the urge to urinate occurs may also help to decrease the risk of bladder infection or UTI. Some physicians recommend urinating before and after sex as well as a mean of flushing out any bacteria that may enter the urethra during sexual intercourse.
Vitamin C makes the urine acidic and helps to reduce the number of potentially harmful bacteria in the urinary tract system.
Wear only panties with a cotton crotch--cotton allows moisture to escape whereas other materials may trap moisture and create a potential breeding ground for bacteria.
Cranberry juice often helps to reduce frequency of bladder infections. Cranberry supplements are available over-the-counter and many women find they work amazingly quickly when an UTI has occurred, however, a physician's diagnosis is still necessary even if cranberry juice or herbals reduce pain or symptoms.
You should probably speak to her doctor, or simply give her a glass of cranberry juice daily. It needs to be the actual cranberry juice tho and not a cocktail.
