The tip of ds's penis is red--problem?

[mamaroni]

Ds is intact, and I really don't think about it much at all. I don't push it back, don't take any extra care to clean it, and basically just don't pay much attention. I'm guessing this is not a problem at all, but since I've never seen it, I thought I'd post.

I noticed this morning that the tip of ds's penis is really red. He is 18 months old. It does not seem to bother him at all. What could cause this irritation? He had a bath last night, but I use all natural baby wash, and mostly just plain water. He was not poopy when he woke up.

I put a little A&D on it at bedtime.

Any thoughts?

[Gitti]

Congratulations! You certainly seem to be doing everything exactly the way it should be done. Great for your son!

Now, about the tip of the foreskin, I noticed my grandson's foreskin being red at the very tip and was concerned. But since it never bothered him, we never applied anything and simply left it alone. We thought it might be a little irritation (or diaper rash) but as it turned out, it remained that way even to today.

He is very fair, blond, blue eyes, and I now suspect that it is just his natural coloring.
The very tip of the foreskin is definitely red. But he is already 6 yrs. old and has never had any problems with it.

That might be the case with your son. Or he might have a little diaper rash in which case the A&D ointment should help. Although I really think fresh air works even better.

By the way, are you nursing? Mother's milk right on the affected area several times a day is the best by far.

[oncewerewise]

My sister's son (11 months) is intact and the tip of his penis was red. The doctor diagnosed excema (sp?) and prescribed a cortisone (sp?) cream which cleared it up in a few uses. This may not be the case with your son, but it's a possibility. It hasn't re-occurred (that was about 3 months ago).

[cottonwood]

My son had the same thing at about the same age. I tried to ignore it, then I tried A&D, but it didn't go away and eventually it became painful for him. So I took him to the doctor, he diagnosed some sort of infection (at this point it was puss-y) and prescribed antibiotics, which cleared it right up. I am not usually one for antibiotics (I have refused them on several occasions,) but felt like this was a good use for them.

[teniprice]

My ds is intact and his tip has been red a few times too. Doesn't bother him at all though. It's not red everyday so I've never really worried about it. I bet it's nothing with your ds. Unless it seems to bother him or look irritated or swollen, I'd let it be.

[DesireeH]

My son has had the redness happen a few times too, when he overslept and was in his dipe longer than usual. I gave him a bath and let him run around naked and it went away by the next day.

[mamaroni]

Thank you so much for all the replies!

It looks better this morning-not red at all. So, I'll keep my eye on it.

Gitti-I wish I were still nursing, but I'm not so I can't try that trick. But, in 4 more months, I will be again, so I'll try it then if need be.

Thank you again--I love this forum!

[momsmyjob]

My son is 4 and his penis is like that. It's a little red on the tip, he has never complained so I don't think it bothers him. He's been out of dipes for a while too.