Clinical Tip: Urine samples: Purple is persuasive

My practice routinely checks urine at 4 years of age or when a child has symptoms. When, as often happens, a child is reluctant to give a sample, I tell her (or him) that I think she may have purple pee today. The child finds this amazing or strange and often can be induced to give me a sample just to see if I am right.

Harry C. Weinerman, MDBloomfield, Conn.