QUICK ! I think 5yo DD has a cystitis. What can I give her, bearing in mind it is 5.30 on a Sunday ?

[NomDePlume]

She is crying when urinating and complaining of 'stabby pain' in her genitals. .

I've got some of that cystitis releif stuff, the sachets you dissolve in water but they say not recommended for children or men (?!) on the box, only adult women. So obviously, that is out. What can I give her aside from standard pain relief (calpol etc) ?

no advice but this reminds me to book docs appointment for 4yo DD who says it's 'nippy' when she pees....

i would fone nhs 24 and get something from dr

Plenty to drink

Have you got any cranberry juice or barley water?

I think you can use bicarbonate of soda in water - but don't take my word for it - have a google

Plenty of water no fruit juice. In fact make her drink and drink. Have you checked her underneath it could just be that as opposed to urinary infection? If its definitely not that I would get an emergency appointment - the sooner you get her on antibiotics the better. If you ring GP surgery there should be an out of hours number. Hope she is OK.

Thanks all. She's in the bath at the moment and seems to find it easier to wee in there. No cranberry or barley water, I'll check the bicarb thing as we do have that in the house.

Thanks for the advice

Would it be dangerous to give her a bit of the sachet - work out an amount based on % of her body weight vs weight of an 'average' woman?

Get her to the out of hours doc asap. The sooner you put her on anitibiotics the better. Take a clean sample of urine with you so they can test it without you hanging around.

dd2 regularly has cystitis. Give her loads of water and if you can get some cranberry juice it would be very helpful. For future try to get hold of some cymalon liquid- dd2 is 9 and has found it helpful (also when she was youger)and I know I would not have given it to her if not age appropriate. Also very useful homeopathic tablet called cantheris. I would take her to the docs tomorrow though as urine infections can be very nasty.

Lots of water, pref with barley, but if yr local shops don't stock it, just water. Was told when I had cystitus that cranberry juice was too sugary ('feeds' the infection) and that the tablets or essence is better. Really works though - but no good to you now. Thing to do is dilute the infection as much as possible by making her drink water - I too have heard that bicarb works, though would google to check amounts.

sachets are, if I remember rightly, pretty much bicarb anyway. You do have to be very careful about amounts with bicarb, because it affects the acidity/alkaline balance of the blood which in turn affects the heart - ie some is fine, loads of it is not. See if you can get some info, sorry not to have more.

I've had a look at her and all appears normal, no lacerations, swelling or redness. I've had a quick look on NHS direct website which says that children should always see a GP if they have urinary tract infections (obviously I don't know whether she has or not, I'm guessing).

She has a cold at the moment so she's feeling a bit sorry for herself anyway .

I've used bicarb for cystitis before, has always worked, about a teaspoonful in a tumbler of water - not sure how much for a child tho. Hope she feels better soon.

I think the sachet are sodium citrate

If she has a cold she might be a bit dehydrated & he urine might just be a bit strong, & it would sting a bit

I'd go with lots to drink

she is afraid to drink water as it'll make her need a wee

I will go with the plenty to drink suggestions for tonight and see how she is tomorrow.

Thanks again

yes but the less she drinks the stronger her urine will be and the more it will hurt! Try to explain that the weaker her wee is the less painful it will be, easier said than done probably. Poor thing

How is she?

Cranberry juice, lots of water, calpol and nhs direct. UTIs generally need to be treated medically in children.

Hi Katymac, she's much better thanks. Still not 100% but much improved.

I've sent her to school today (she managed a wee this morning) as I cannot take any more time off work with child sickness (this working parent malarky sucks). I have put a note in her home/school book asking them to call me if she gets worse, but that's the best I can do. So I've come to work feeling like I'm a shite mother and a crappy employee.

[maternal guilt emoticon req'd]