How to tell if ds has a rash, or infection. Help?

[zjande]

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Edited by zjande - 12/15/10 at 6:40pm

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Sounds like he is going through the separation process. Have you seen this thread http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=764732

For the record the only exam the Dr. should do is a culture of the very tip of the foreskin without retracting at all. Even if he is retractable doing so with a possible infection present is just asking for trouble. It could cause it to spread or become worse.

Does he use soap in the bath, if so do you make sure to rinse really well before getting out with clean water from the tap? Soap can be very irritating and should be avoided if at all possible.

The normal color of the intact glans should be a bright red/purple and it sounds like you are seeing smegma which is a sign of separation going on.

Is he totally retractable or just partially?

[zjande]

deleted for privacy

Edited by zjande - 12/15/10 at 6:40pm

[eepster]

Stop pulling back on it. It can cause problems (minor tears, infection, paraphimosis, etc) and there really is nothing to see in there.

Stop putting vaseline in it. If you want to put a barrier cream on it, use one specifically designed for the diaper area, and only use it on the out side.

At this age, sometimes young boy say "ow" when they get erections. The sensation is strange, and they lack the vocabulary to accurately express what they feel, so they use "ow." Considering your DS tend to react strongly to minor sensations (such as having his belly button cleaned,) I consider this very likely.

If your DS enjoys taking bathes, and saying his penis hurts gets him a bath, he is likely to repeat it often.

Unless he develops more specific symptoms, I would avoid bringing it up with the Dr. If he does develop more dramatic symptoms (such as a fever) and you feel a need to take him in, don't let the Dr attempt to retract him.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The only way you would be able to tell is if you saw him retract it since no one but him is allowed to retract it. Like pp said doing so can cause problems so only the owner of the penis is allowed to retract it.

Unless he develops more specific symptoms, I would avoid bringing it up with the Dr. If he does develop more dramatic symptoms (such as a fever) and you feel a need to take him in, don't let the Dr attempt to retract him.

and a big nothing you posted would make me do a Dr. visit.

[zjande]

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Edited by zjande - 12/15/10 at 6:42pm

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

So, what I should be doing then is just keeping an eye out for infection signs. Period. Right? And those would be a terrible infection smell, a fever, and/or some kind of nasty stuff actually oozing from his penis?

Yep if it is an infection of some sort you would have no doubt within a very short time because of the severe swelling, discharge and possibly fever.

Yeah boys go through growing pains much like girls do when they start puberty just with boys it can happen pretty early on when separation starts happening.

[zjande]

Man, MDC is SooooO handy!

[eepster]

Originally Posted by zjande

I always thought of my intact sons being just the same as my intact dd: Don't ever do anything special with their genitals except wash them.

Thinking of it as being the same as girl genitals is spot on. Girls certainly do sometimes suffer from discomfort down there. Also, over washing with soap is a common cause of infections in girls/women.

and/or some kind of nasty stuff actually oozing from his penis?

Stuff coming out won't necessarily be a sign of infection. During separartion, it is common for smegma (normal genital secretions) to come out in globs. It can build up in small pockets and then come out all at once when the pocket is opened up by separation.

But he did/does have that angry red spot in there that I can't help but wonder if it's a painful rash. And seeing how everytime I apply the vaseline his pain is gone for another day or 2, that made me feel it must be irritated in there.

If it is separation, that spot might be a raw spot where an adhesion got released.

We don't use any diaper rash products as I believe them to be toxic.

I would say the most toxic ingredient in most mass market diaper creams is the petroleum jelly and mineral oil in them. Vaseline is just petroleum jelly. Baby oil is just mineral oil. Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are byproducts of making gasoline and other petroleum products (diesel, motor oil, plastic, etc.) There are great diaper creams that have no petroleum in them, such as Burt's Bees.