Urinary complaints

Collecting and storing urine

Collect the middle portion of the urine stream in a clean container and seal it well.
Preferably collect the urine after not having urinated for at least 3 hours, or collect the first morning urine.
Bring the urine to the practice within 1 hour.
If you can only bring it later, place the container in the refrigerator and bring it within 24 hours.
For children who are not yet toilet trained: see below.

A questionnaire is available for urine testing - to be completed at home or at the practice. Download the urine test form.

For young children who are not yet toilet trained:

Have a clean container with lid ready
Give your child plenty to drink
Children under the age of two usually urinate within 20 to 30 minutes after drinking
For a girl, spread the labia and rinse clean with plenty of warm water (not too hot, without scrubbing and without soap)
For a boy, also rinse with warm water, gently pulling back the foreskin (only if this goes easily)
Let your child lie/move around with bare buttocks while you watch for urination
The very first bit of urine may still contain some skin bacteria
Pour the urine into a clean urine container with lid and seal it well
Bring the urine to the practice within 1 hour
Store the container in the refrigerator if you can only bring it later. But always bring it within a day.

A urine collection bag is available from the pharmacy.
A urine collection bag has an adhesive rim that you can stick onto the skin after rinsing the genital area.
Check every ten minutes whether your child has urinated.
Do not leave the collection bag in place for more than one hour.
If the collection bag is left in place for a long time, there is a high chance of skin bacteria entering the bag.
The disadvantage of a collection bag is that it sometimes detects bacteria while your child does not actually have a bladder infection.
Therefore, try to collect free urine from your child first.