Urine tests are often part of a child's medical care and are used to diagnose illness, infection, or other problems. To check a boy's urine, the child may need direction or require adult assistance to collect the sample. You can try different urine collection methods, depending on whether your child has been potty trained. Available methods range from “clean catch” to the use of urine pads. To prevent sexual inappropriateness, only parents, guardians, or the child's medical team are allowed to collect samples. If you must collect a urine sample from your son, use one of the following procedures to prevent foreign bacteria from contaminating the urine sample as doing so could result in false test results.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Preparing Boys for Urine Examination
Step 1. Prepare your son
If your son is old enough to understand that you should take a urine sample from him, he may feel uncomfortable or refuse. Such refusal can cause stress to both the child and the parent who tries to do so. Therefore, preparing the child in advance can help expedite the examination process.
Step 2. Give understanding to the child
Tell your son that the urine test will not hurt or make him uncomfortable, and reassure him that you will be there for him throughout the process.
Step 3. Turn it into a game
For boys, urine testing can be turned into a game, making your son more comfortable and perhaps more excited about getting the process done properly.
- Tell him to imagine urine collection as an aiming exercise. Learning how to pee on the toilet is part of potty training, so tell him that peeing in a holding cup is the same thing. Give your son a nice reward if he can “shoot the target” during the urine collection process.
- If the test is to check for protein in the urine, tell your son that the nurse or doctor will dip a special paper tape in the urine for color testing. Ask the doctor or nurse if your son can see the dipped paper tape and ask your son to guess what color the paper tape will turn into.
Step 4. Minimize stress
Follow these ways to minimize stress on your son and yourself:
- Come prepared. When you make your doctor's appointment, ask if you need a urine sample. That way, you can try to keep your son from urinating right before the doctor's visit. Ask if a urine sample should be taken using the “clean catch” method (sterile specimen) so that you can familiarize your son with being swabbed with sterile wet wipes before the visit to the doctor.
- Explain the examination to your son. Telling your son that he should provide a urine sample before going to the doctor and then explaining the test to him in a reassuring and calm manner will also help prepare your son. Explain that adults also collect urine samples in the same way if requested by a doctor. Reassure him that these checks are common and that the process is not difficult.
- Give your son a drink before the examination. Persuading your son to drink plenty of water before going to the doctor can make him pee when it's time to collect a sample. An empty bladder or difficulty urinating can cause your son to feel pressured or stressed during the exam, so do him a favor by telling him to drink some water first.
- Simplify inspection procedures. Call the doctor's office and ask what equipment they provide to make the urine collection process easier. A container placed in the toilet, such as a potty, can be simpler and more familiar to the child than collecting urine in a cup. Follow the doctor's recommendations to simplify the examination process..
Method 2 of 4: Applying the Clean Catch Method to a Boy Who Can Use the Toilet
Step 1. Perform the clean catch method
The clean catch method is also known as a mid-stream urine sample. This method is best applied to older children, who are able to use the toilet and can pass urine on request. However, these children may still need help. The clean catch method involves placing a cup under a stream of urine to collect it.
Step 2. Prepare inspection equipment
Lay out some paper towels as a clean base for the specimen cup and three sachets of sterile wet wipes. You should be able to reach this equipment easily.
Step 3. Wash your hands
Wash you and your son's hands thoroughly with soap and water. It is important to keep things clean so as not to contaminate the urine sample.
- Do not touch anything unimportant, such as walls, face, and so on until the urine collection process is complete.
- Wear rubber gloves if available.
Step 4. Help your son take off his pants and underwear
It's best to lower your pants and panties down to at least mid-thigh to avoid getting urine.
Step 5. Open the specimen container
Place the lid of the container with the flat side (outside) facing down on paper towels. Do not touch the inside of the lid or the inside of the specimen container. It's a good idea to keep your fingers away from the lip of the container when handling it.
Step 6. Clean your son's urinary tract area
You should clean your son's penis to prevent contamination of the urine sample.
- If your son has not been circumcised, carefully pull back the foreskin. Ask the nurse or doctor to show you how to do this if you're not sure. Wipe the entire surface with a sterile/alcoholic tissue provided by the doctor. With a sterile wet tissue, wipe around the urethral opening (tip of the penis) toward the abdomen. Discard used tissue.
- Allow the foreskin to return to its original position once the area is dry.
- Gently pat the tip of the penis with a cotton swab or sterile gauze to dry it.
Step 7. Have your son stand in front of the toilet or urinal
She can help by directing the urine stream to the toilet/urinary or, if she is not circumcised, by pulling the foreskin back (the foreskin must continue to be pulled back until urine collection is complete).
Step 8. Ask him to pee
Once the specimen cup is ready, ask him to start urinating into the toilet. If he's having trouble, try opening the water tap.
Step 9. Collect urine
After your son has passed a small amount of urine down the toilet, place the cup under the urine stream. He had to keep peeing. Hold the cup close enough that the urine doesn't splash, but not so close that it touches the penis. Putting the cup down the urine stream while he's peeing can be a bit messy, and your fingers may get peed.
Step 10. Keep the cup
When the cup is about full, keep the cup away from the urine stream. Do not fill the cup until it overflows.
- Let your son finish urinating after you remove the cup.
- Even if the cup is only full and the urine flow begins to weaken, remove the cup before he finishes peeing.
Step 11. Close the specimen cup
Attach the cap of the specimen cup tightly without touching the rim of the cup or its insides. Once the lid is on, you can wipe off any urine that's stuck to the outside of the cup.
- Keep the cup in a safe place before giving it to the doctor/nurse, or place it inside a special door for urine samples if one is available in the bathroom.
- If you collect the sample at home, store the sample in the refrigerator until you take it to your doctor's office.
Step 12. Help your son get dressed and wash his hands
If she's not circumcised, pull her foreskin back to its original position after she's finished urinating. Help him lift up his pants and underwear, and ask him to wash his hands. You should also wash your hands.
Method 3 of 4: Applying the Clean Catch Method to Boys Who Can't Use the Toilet
Step 1. Learn the “finger tap” method
For babies who have not been potty trained, collecting a urine sample can be a bit more difficult than for a child who has been trained to use it. You have to lure your son to pee, then collect his urine. Begin the examination one hour after the child has been given plenty of water to fill the bladder.
Step 2. Wash your hands
Wash thoroughly with soap and water so as not to contaminate the urine sample.
Step 3. Prepare the work area
Place a clean, sterile urine container, sterile wet wipes, sterile cotton swab or gauze, and paper or baby wipes (in case of confusion) before sampling begins. Ensure equipment is easily accessible during the sampling process.
Step 4. Lay your son on his back
Lay him on the changing table.
Step 5. Remove the diaper
Don't worry if your son has peed in his diaper. There may still be urine in his bladder.
Step 6. Clean your son's urinary tract area
You should clean the child's penis to prevent contamination of the urine sample.
- If your son has not been circumcised, carefully pull back the foreskin. Ask the nurse or doctor to show you how if you're not sure. Wipe all surfaces with sterile/alcoholic wet wipes provided at the doctor's office.
- Using a sterile wet tissue, wipe around the urethral opening (tip of the penis) toward the abdomen. Throw away used tissues.
- Allow the foreskin to return to its original position once the area is dry.
- Gently pat the tip of the penis with a cotton swab or sterile gauze to dry it.
Step 7. Remove the lid of the urine cup
Prepare a urine cup. Do not allow anything to touch the inside of the container or lid other than urine, otherwise the urine test will be contaminated.
Step 8. Tap your son's belly against the bladder
With two fingers, tap the center of the stomach towards the lower abdomen. This step will encourage the child to urinate. Ask if the doctor or nurse will show you where and how to tap before starting the urine collection process.
- Do one beat every second for one minute, then stop for one minute, repeating the process alternately, until your son pees or until 10 minutes have elapsed.
- Watch carefully. Urine flow can be very fast, and you may miss it if you don't pay attention. Hold the urine cup in your non-tapping hand so you can catch the urine as it comes out.
- Be patient. The average time it takes to collect urine with this method is about 5.5 minutes. About 77% of children will produce urine in 10 minutes. If your son doesn't pee in 10 minutes, stop and try again after the next meal.
Step 9. Collect the urine in the cup and close the lid tightly
A few drops of urine may be enough for a test, so collect as much urine as you can.
Method 4 of 4: Using a Urine Pad for Boys Who Can't Use the Toilet
Step 1. Use a urine pad if you can't use the clean catch method
The “clean catch” method is performed when your son urinates directly into the examination cup. If your son can't do it because he can't use the toilet, just use a urine pad. Although using urine pads carries a higher risk of contamination, it is the second best option after clean catch.
Another option is a urine bag. Your doctor may give you a urine bag if you think it helps. This bag is placed inside the diaper, like a urine pad, to collect urine
Step 2. Wash your hands
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water so that the urine sample is not contaminated.
Step 3. Prepare the work area
Place a clean and sterile urine container, sterile wet wipes, sterile urine syringe (5 ml capacity), urine pad, and other equipment that may be needed before starting sampling. Ensure that equipment is easily accessible during the sampling process.
Step 4. Remove your son's diaper
Lay your son on the changing table, and remove his diaper so you can clean him and prepare him for urine collection.
Step 5. Clean your son's urinary tract area
You should clean your son's penis to prevent contamination of the urine sample.
- If your son has not been circumcised, carefully pull back the foreskin. Ask a nurse or doctor how to do this if you're not sure. Wipe the entire surface with a sterile/alcoholic wet tissue provided by a doctor.
- With a sterile wet tissue, wipe around the urethral opening (tip of the penis) toward the abdomen. Discard used tissue.
- Allow the foreskin to return to its original position once the area is dry.
- Gently pat the tip of the penis with a cotton swab or sterile gauze to dry it.
- Also clean all parts of your son's penis and buttocks using soap and water or sterile wet wipes.
Step 6. Put the urine pad in place
Flip the disposable diaper over and place it under your son with the plastic-covered outside facing up. Place the urine pad on the outside of the diaper, so that when you put the diaper on your son, the pad will cover his penis and buttocks. Put an inverted diaper on your son with the urine pad on the inside.
Step 7. Check the bearings and remove them when they are wet
Check the inside of the diaper every 10 minutes until the pads are wet.
- Once your son has urinated, remove the diaper along with the pads.
- If your son is pooping too, remove the pads and start the process over again. You will need clean urine for testing.
- Place the pad on a flat surface with the wet side facing up.
Step 8. Use a syringe to aspirate urine
Take a 5 ml syringe, and place the tip on the wet pad right in the middle of the urine. If urine pools in the pad, this is the best place to place the syringe. Slowly pull on the sucker. Urine will enter the syringe slowly as you suck urine from the pad.
Step 9. Put the urine into the cup
Hold the syringe over the examination cup. Push the sucker so that the urine comes out of the cup.
- If there is still urine in the pad, use a syringe to collect more urine from the pad.
- If the urine collected is considered sufficient, put the lid on the cup.
Tips
- While helping your son, develop his independence as well. Give just enough help. Depending on your son's age and experience, you may have to take all the necessary steps or you may just need to give him some verbal instructions.
- If you collect a urine sample at home and don't have antibacterial wipes on hand, use a paper towel dampened with a few drops of antibacterial soap. After that, use a damp paper towel to rinse.
- If your child is in pain while urinating due to an infection, you can advise him to "blow out the pain" by exhaling hard as the urine begins to flow. Introducing these ideas first gives the child a chance to practice the technique. You can also ask your child to focus on another part of his body, for example, feeling your hand on his forehead.
- Opening the faucet can help your son pee if he has trouble doing so.
- If your son is embarrassed to be seen with the sample cup after getting out of the bathroom, and there is no special door for specimens in the bathroom, ask the doctor/nurse for a pouch or other secret method of carrying the cup.
- Make sure the urine cup is labeled with the child's name and date of birth before you leave it somewhere or give it to someone.
- Doctors may not always rely on urine collection by the pad or urine bag method, especially if they are checking for possible infection. If your child has not been toilet trained or is unable to urinate to provide a sample, the doctor may take a urine sample using a catheter that is inserted into the penis all the way to the bladder. This is the best way to get a sterile sample.
