if retractable, should it be retracted?

[chaoticzenmom]

Ok, odd question and I'm curious what other parents (or any experts on the board) think.

I think my 3.5yo is retractable. My older son almost 9 is not and my husband wasn't until 8 or so. My 3.5yo keeps complaining that the head of his penis hurts. He only complains every once in awhile and does not have a UTI. I don't retract it, but the skin looks very lose, more like my husbands foreskin than my older son's. It makes me wonder...if he's retractable, is it harming him that he isn't getting cleaned under there during baths, etc. Should he be shown how to retract and clean during baths?

[Fellow Traveler]

I don't see any reason you shouldn't encourage him to try in the bath. He'll know how far he can comfortably retract it and it will start a good habit.

[MyBoysBlue]

I don't know if they should be retracting regularly but my DS is almost 7 and he only retracts to clean every once in a while. He only baths once a week in the winter as he has really dry skin so I believe he retracts and just swishes in the tub like we taught him. No soap or anything. When he first was able to retract we would remind him to do this every once in a while but he was about 4 then. We stopped reminding him a while back so I don't know if he is still doing it but he hasn't had any complaints. I don't think retracting and swishing in clean water would hurt.

[latinalonestar]

If he can do it let him swish it in warm water. NO SOAP. If it is red then it could be just a little irritation. You would know if there was an infection b/c it would get worse. A UTI would also get worse. Remember foreskin doesn't cause UTI.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

If HE can do it on his OWN then you can ask him to do it. No one but him should do it though. Not cleaning under there will not cause irritation even if he is retractable.

[fruitful womb]

I like Jwispers answer a lot. If instructing him to this during his bath I'd say, "Retract your foreskin, rinse it off, then just replace the foreskin back over the glans. I wouldn't make a huge fuss out of it tho. At this age, its just for practice. This is how I've instructed my very retractable 5 yr old. I tell him to remember retract rinse replace. His separation started when he was 3.

[chaoticzenmom]

Well, I guess he's not really retractable. I asked him to pull it back after he peed and while the skin goes back easily, I can see that it is still adhered on the inside. So, I'll stop worrying.

[JamieCatheryn]

When my son's detached partially at first like yours sounds like his has he complained of discomfort for a couple days. He'll mess with it sometimes now sitting on the potty pulling it back and replacing it, no chance of instructing much at age 2 here so I'll leave him to whatever he feels like doing with it. No odd smells, discharges, wounds, or anything have happened so I guess he's fine.