SPUTUM CULTURE
Sputum, or phlegm, is usually present if your child has a chest infection. Most young children cough up the sputum and then immediately swallow it, so it is very difficult to obtain a specimen. Older children are better able to co-operate. The specimen is sent to the laboratory as soon as possible, checked under a microscope, and then incubated in a special culture medium. After 24 hours, any germs present can usually be identified, and after 48-72 hours the antibiotic that will be effective against them can be chosen. This aids both in diagnosis and treatment of chest infections.
If your child has prolonged diarrhoea, your doctor may advise sending a stool specimen to the laboratory to try and determine which parasite or germ is responsible. This also helps your doctor to decide whether or not to treat the condition with antibiotics, and if so, which drug will be effective against the particular organism. Stool specimens must be sent to the laboratory as soon as possible, so that the organisms can be identified under the microscope or by culture. A stool examination is also used to determine whether there is a problem with absorption of sugar, fats or protein in the small bowel.
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