MEDICAL TESTS FOR CHILDREN: URINALYSIS
Laboratory tests are used by doctors to help identify illnesses, to determine what particular type of infectious organism is causing a problem, and to learn how serious a disease may be. Some procedures can be performed right in the doctor’s surgery, others must be done in a laboratory where more complex equipment is available. Some common tests and procedures are described here.
Urinalysis means analysis of a specimen of urine, the liquid form of body waste. Urine tests can reveal infections in the kidneys, the bladder, and the rest of the urinary tract. The chemical and cell content of urine can also show how well the digestive system is working.
Urine can be tested in four different ways. First, it can be examined visually for color and texture. Normal urine is a clear yellow; if it is cloudy, reddish, or some other color, an infection or an injury may be present in the body. Second, the water content of the urine can be measured. This shows how well the kidneys are doing their job of filtering the body’s wastes. Third, the chemical content of the urine can be analyzed, to find out if the body is discarding necessary chemicals that should be retained. Finally, the urine can be examined under a microscope to find out what cells, bacteria, and other material are present. This is done to identify an infection or disease more exactly.
Chemical analysis of urine is often used as a screening test for diabetes, a disease in which the body does not properly use the carbohydrates (sugars and starches) that are its chief sources of energy. To test for diabetes, the amount of glucose (a form of sugar) in the urine is measured by dipping a chemically treated stick in the urine and comparing the color of the stick with a color chart. If the glucose is above a certain level, diabetes may be the cause. Additional blood tests are then done to verify the diagnosis.
*268/84/5*
