ABSTRACT
A significant amount of attention has been directed to urine tests designed to investigate specific abnormal urine constituents. This chapter emphasizes the "routine" urinalysis and the information which can be obtained from screening infants with urine tests designed for a broad base of information. Urinalysis tests are centuries old, but only in the last decade or two have these parameters been applied to any great extent to the urine of infants. Most studies involving the analysis of urine from infants devote some time to discussion of the method of collecting the urine specimens. Chemical tests may easily be performed by pressing the dip-and-read reagent test strip against the wet diaper. Advantages of performing routine urinalysis on infants and small children are based mainly on the fact that early detection means early treatment. Since the procedures for analysis of urine from infants and children are the same as those used for adults, the same precautions are necessary for good results.
