How to collect urine from a baby boy: collection methods and mistakes
The content of the article:
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Methods for collecting urine from a baby boy
- Collecting urine with a urine bag
- Collecting urine in a plastic container or glass jar
- Collecting and delivering urine samples for analysis
- What not to do when collecting urine from a child
Each person is repeatedly faced with the need to collect urine for a general analysis. The first urine test is usually done in the hospital. In the future, for regular examinations, the child's urine collection, as a rule, has to be done by the parents themselves. For older children and adults, this procedure is not particularly difficult, however, collecting urine from a baby boy has features and often causes difficulties for parents. There are several methods by which it will not be difficult to collect urine from children of this age group.
A special urine collection bag for boys is the most convenient for collecting urine for analysis
Before the study, you need to ask the doctor who prescribes the referral how to take the test, how many milliliters of urine you need to collect, whether you can bring the urine collected in the evening (depending on the type of study) for analysis, how many hours before delivery to the laboratory you need to collect, etc., since each type of research has its own characteristics.
In most cases, the test requires the first morning urine, unless otherwise indicated. For urine analysis according to Nechiporenko, only an average portion of urine is required, for analysis according to Zimnitsky, all daily urine should be collected. In hospitalized children, daily urine is collected using a urethral catheter. At home, daily urine is collected after each feeding.
Methods for collecting urine from a baby boy
It is possible to collect urine from infants at home using special devices - urinals, as well as in other ways.
Collecting urine with a urine bag
A urine collection bag, available at a pharmacy, makes it much easier to collect urine from babies. The device is a dense plastic bag with a scale and hypoallergenic Velcro, which allows you to attach the device to the baby's skin without causing irritation.
Due to anatomical differences, there are male and female urine bags with different opening widths, as well as universal urine bags that are suitable for both boys and girls. It is more convenient to use urine bags that are made specifically for boys, as they can fit the penis and testicles, avoiding leakage.
Before collecting urine, a toilet of the child's external genital organs is performed, after which the perineum is thoroughly blotted with a towel. The skin must be dry so that the Velcro of the bag can be attached to it. When collecting urine, it is recommended to keep the child upright, but not to sit down or swaddle.
After urinating, the liquid is poured into a special container, which is also purchased at the pharmacy. To do this, after urination, the pointed end of the urine bag is immersed in a container for collecting urine, the corner of the bag is cut off with scissors wiped with alcohol in advance, the urine is poured into a prepared container without contact with hands.
Although collecting material for analysis with a urine collection bag in infants is the most convenient, it is not always possible to do it the first time. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase not one, but several copies of the device. You can study the process of collecting urine from a baby boy using a urine bag by watching the corresponding video.
If for one reason or another it was not possible to purchase a device, the material for analysis can be collected without a urine bag immediately into a plastic container for collecting urine or in a glass jar.
Collecting urine in a plastic container or glass jar
Because of the anatomical features, it is easier to collect urine from male infants than from female infants. To do this, it is enough to wait for urination and lower the child's penis into a container for urine, which must be prepared in advance.
Special plastic containers, which are issued in a laboratory or purchased from a pharmacy, do not require pre-processing and are immediately ready for use. The container has a tight-fitting lid that, when used correctly, prevents urine from flowing.
Before collecting the child's urine, wash and dry his skin, gently blotting with a towel
The disadvantage of this method (as in the case of glass containers) is the relative inconvenience of collecting urine from infants, since the child cannot yet stand on his own.
In the absence of a special container, you can use a 100-200 ml glass jar with a tightly screwed lid. The jar must be sterile, that is, it must be thoroughly washed before use, and then boiled or steamed, and then dried.
The disadvantage of this method is the risk of insufficiently high-quality sterilization of urine cans at home and for this reason receiving an unreliable research result.
Collection of urine in a glass jar or a special container is carried out by weight, placing the child on his hand over the sink or bathtub. In this case, the container is brought to the child's genitals, it is advisable to skip a small amount (the first portion) of urine, the rest of the urine is collected in a prepared container. Care should be taken to keep the child's anus out of the container to avoid contamination of urine with feces in the event of a possible bowel movement.
Collecting and delivering urine samples for analysis
To avoid unreliable results of the analysis, you should adhere to certain rules for collecting urine from a male baby.
The best time to collect the material is immediately after waking up or 15–20 minutes after the baby's feed in the morning. A feature of newborns and children in the first few months is urination during or immediately after feeding. Therefore, to collect urine, it is often enough to attach the baby to the breast, which will speed up the process. You can also turn on the tap and / or give your baby a bottle to drink to stimulate urination.
It is necessary to deliver the container with the collected urine to the laboratory as early as possible, the delay should not exceed two hours. In the hot season, it is better to use a cold pack to transport urine.
It is advisable to clarify the rules for the preparation, collection and delivery of material in a specific laboratory, since the requirements in different institutions may differ. For example, some laboratories accept material for analysis only in plastic containers designed for this purpose.
What not to do when collecting urine from a child
Errors in collecting urine for analysis from a child can lead to a distortion of the test result, which at best will require its repeated, and at worst can cause an unreliable diagnosis.
The container with collected urine for analysis should be delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible
Collecting urine from a baby is prohibited:
- transport the collected material in a urine bag (it must be poured into a plastic container for collecting urine or a sterilized glass jar);
- squeeze out the used diaper and take the obtained material for analysis, since in this case the urine will contain impurities, due to which the results obtained will be unreliable;
- freeze the container with the collected material;
- collect urine from a child for analysis long before delivery to the laboratory (if it is not daily urine);
- collect urine for analysis in a pot, since its surface is difficult to properly disinfect, for the same reason, you should not use plastic containers for urine (unless these are special containers);
- Give your baby or nursing mother a diuretic.
In addition, it is undesirable:
- place the urine bag under the diaper, as the contents may spill out;
- use ordinary plastic bags to collect urine, as the bag material can react with urine and distort the test results.
YouTube video related to the article:
Anna Aksenova Medical journalist About the author
Education: 2004-2007 "First Kiev Medical College" specialty "Laboratory Diagnostics".
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