Cranberry juice for urinary tract infection in children.

QUESTION Several children in my clinic are recovering from urinary tract infections (UTI). A mother of one of the children asked me if I recommended cranberry juice for children to prevent future episodes of UTI. She was given cranberry juice after she suffered from a UTI several months ago. ANSWER Cranberry juice has been shown to be effective in preventing adhesion of bacteria such as Escherichia coli to the bladder epithelium. Current evidence supports the use of cranberry juice for prevention of UTI in adult women, but no such evidence exists at this time for the prevention of UTI in children. While cranberry juice is very safe for most children, its acidity reduces palatability among children. The dose of cranberry juice to prevent UTI in children has also yet to be determined.