Collecting a Urine Sample from a Child with a Urine Collection Pad

Collecting a urine sample from a child with a urine collection pad. When collecting a sample from a "diaper-age" child, the sample is more reliable if it is collected with a urine collection pad than with a plastic collection bag, and the pad is also more comfortable for the child.

• Use the sticky strip of the pad to attach it to the outer surface of the diaper.
• The outer surface and the pad are placed against the skin. The middle part of the pad is placed on the urinary meatus.
• The pad is checked (by e.g. the mother) every 10 minutes. When there is urine in the pad, the pad is taken off immediately.
• When there is urine in the pad, it is detached and put e.g. into a disposable cup. The urine sample is extracted from the pad for examination with a syringe.
• The pad is changed every 30 minutes. The pad is also changed if it has faecal stains because in that case the collected urine cannot be used as a sample.

Image: Matti Uhari, Harri Saxén and Jussi Mertsola