Blood cells and red cell morphology in the urine of healthy children.

The count of blood cells and the morphology of red cells in urine has been widely used in adult medicine to aid in the diagnosis of the etiology of hematuria. The normal ranges for blood cells in the urine of children had not been established previously. The urine of 419 healthy children was studied. Urine of 95% of individuals contained less than 14 x 10(6) red cells per liter. The morphology of these red cells was of a glomerular pattern. Red cells of non-glomerular pattern were not seen in the urine of healthy children. Urine of 95% of children contained less than or equal to 4 x 10(6) leukocytes per liter.