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</ iframe > </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --><div id="header"> <div id="CClogo"><a href="https://www.cookchildrens.org"><span class="srText">Cook Children's</span></a></div> <div id="CCsearch"> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="GET" onsubmit="return (this.q.value == '') ? false : true;" action="/CookChildrens/en/parents/"> <input type="hidden" name="search" value="y"/> <input type="hidden" name="getfields" value="description"/> <input type="search" class="search" name="q" id="q" maxlength="256" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" placeholder="Search"/> <input type="hidden" name="datasource" value="cookchildrens"> <input type="hidden" name="start" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="rows" value="10"> <input type="hidden" name="lang" value="english"> <input type="hidden" name="section" value="parents_teens_kids"> <input type="submit" value="" id="searchButton" class="buttonImage"/> </form> </div> </div> <!-- If we have main navigation separated then it will reside here --> <div id="thelou" tabindex="-1"> </div> <div id="mainContentContainer" class="kh-article-page"> <div id="rsSearchBrowse"> <div id="rsBrowse" role="navigation"> </div> <div id="rsSearch"> <div id="rsSectionLabel">parents</div> </div> </div> <div id="khContentHeading" class="ar licH"> <h1>Urine Tests</h1> </div> <div class="clearBox"> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="xp1"> </div><br clear="all" style="width: 0; height: 0; line-height: 0; font-size: 0;"><div id="khcontent_article" lang="en-us"> <div id="NavigatePage1"> <div id="whichRead_1"><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!-- The following article is brought to you by CookChildrens. --></span><div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"><script> var theRSURL = (escape(document.location.href)); var rsAudioTitle = document.title.replace(/ |\'|\?/g,"_"); var whichReadPage = 1; var doesItGotFlash = ''; makeTheRSLinkEN(); var readSpeakerDownloadLink = "//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&voice=Kate&speed=100&readid=khcontent_article&url="+theRSURL+"&audiofilename=KidsHealth_"+rsAudioTitle+""; </script></div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="languagePairLink" class="rs_skip"><a href="/CookChildrens/es/parents/labtest7.html?WT.ac=pairedLink"><span class="pairedURLHead" lang="es">en español<img src="/images/n00/icons/langPairArrow.svg" alt=""></span><span class="pairedURLBody" lang="es">Análisis de orina</span></a></div> <!--googleon:all--><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><p>The kidneys make urine (YER-in) as they filter wastes from the bloodstream. When working as they should, <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/kidneys-urinary.html">the kidneys</a> keep things that the body needs in the blood, like protein, and get rid of anything the body doesn’t need, like extra water and salts. But sometimes, other things can be in urine, like protein, glucose, or blood cells. These can be signs of a health problem.</p><h3>Why Are Urine Tests Done?</h3><p>Testing a <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/get-urine-test.html">urine sample</a> can help doctors find out what's going on when someone has an infection or other problem in kidneys, bladder, or other parts of the urinary tract.</p><p>Doctors often will do urine tests if they think a child has a <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/urinary.html">urinary tract infection (UTI)</a>. They also can help doctors check for problems with the kidney and to screen kids for <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/center/diabetes-center.html">diabetes</a>.</p><p>Urine tests can help doctors look for or measure:</p><ul><li>white blood cells, which can happen with an infection</li><li>bacteria or other germs</li><li>glucose (sugar)</li><li>the pH level (acidic or basic) of pee</li><li>the concentration of the pee</li><li>bilirubin (made when red blood cells break down)</li><li>blood</li><li>ketones</li><li>protein </li></ul><h3>What Are the Types of Urine Tests?</h3><p>Common urine tests ordered for kids include:</p><ul><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/dipstick.html">dipstick</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-auto-ds.html">automated dipstick urinalysis</a> </li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-urinalysis.html">microscopic urinalysis</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-urine.html">routine culture</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/analysis-stones.html">24-hour analysis for kidney stones</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-calcium.html">calcium</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-creatinine.html">creatinine</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-mtc-ratio.html">microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio</a></li><li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/test-protein.html">protein</a></li></ul></div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy">Medically reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD</div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: March 2023</div> </div><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!--Thank you for listening to this KidsHealth audio cast. 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