Complication in a 1-month-old

[LittleRockstar]

I have never heard of this complication and just wondered if anyone else had. I found it horrifying! I witnessed an acquaintance changing his almost 1 month-old's diaper last night. I cried. The screaming was enough to put me over the edge, but I looked, then I asked. It turns out that the gauze used after the circumcision has healed into the skin of the penis and is infected. At this point I would say extremely infected, hence the word horrifying. The dad said the doctor told them to soak it in warm water several times a day and gently try to remove it, which clearly hasn't worked. They're taking him back to the doctor for a recheck today. Is there a name for this? Is it common? And why aren't parents warned that this could happen?

[paquerette]

OMG!

I would think probably they didn't use sufficient vaseline or didn't change it often enough. Maybe they didn't understand the instructions or maybe they just couldn't be bothered.

But hey, intact boys are so much harder to care for, huh?

[mama24-7]

I don't have an answer to your question, but that is so terrible for that poor boy. I hope that the doctor can properly take care of it & the baby gets pain medicine. It makes me want to crawl in a hole to think of my bits being infected like that.

Sus

[MommytoB]

No antibiotics cream for that baby if something looks infected warm water isn't a Cure for Infection. He needs antibiotics Now !

Infection of a penis after a circ can be from staph, mrsa , to even worse sepsis .

[LittleRockstar]

I won't see them again until next week. I torn between asking how he's doing and trying to avoid them altogether.

[Claire and Boys]

OMg. How horrible and so sad for the baby. I hope he is ok.

[arihillfarm]

OMG, how HORRIBLE! Sounds like they didn't change the gauze with every diaper change like they were supposed to. That doesn't happen in 2-3 hours or even over the course of a day or two unless they didn't use vaseline at all. Poor baby.

-Astrid

[Papai]

Originally Posted by LittleRockstar

I won't see them again until next week. I torn between asking how he's doing and trying to avoid them altogether.

Don't avoid them, this could be the experience that makes them see circ is unnecessary and can lead to unexpected complications. Stick around and help out in any way you can.

[mama24-7]

have you seen/talked w/ these parents again? how's the baby?

sus

[Jaesun's Dad]

Originally Posted by arihillfarm

Sounds like they didn't change the gauze with every diaper change like they were supposed to.

Every diaper change?

Originally Posted by paquerette

But hey, intact boys are so much harder to care for, huh?

Yeah, huh? :-)

I do hope the boy is doing better and is healing ok ...

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by Jaesun's Dad

Every diaper change?

Yes. The gauze is supposed to be changed at every diaper change.
We had one string of a gauze fall off and start healing into DS2's circ. I think it's why DH agreed not to circ DS3.

[ShadowLark]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

Yes. The gauze is supposed to be changed at every diaper change.
We had one string of a gauze fall off and start healing into DS2's circ. I think it's why DH agreed not to circ DS3.

Exactly. OMG, that would be HORRIBLE! My son was LUCKY - no complications - but I am NOT risking anything like that again. If this one's a boy, he's staying just like he's supposed to be.