Question about soreness in intact 5 year old

[LovinBabySophia]

I don't post at mothering very often, I find it a great place for information. This time I haven't bothered to search, I'm googled out and just want to ask directly and hope someone can answer.

My son is now 5 years old and intact. We have never done much to his penis, followed the "leave it alone" approach. He's never had any problems. He has been mostly, (if not fully, not entirely sure since my first experience with intact penis, but the whole head is exposed now) retractable for almost a year I would say. We still just pull back as far as it will go and rinse in the bath. I have noticed that the tip of his penis is very sensitive or sore. I have noticed it for a while, but didn't think much of it honestly. Just chalked it up to being more sensitive, since I had read that it can be. He didn't seem to have any other issue to signal a problem, so I let it be.

We don't touch it a lot and like I said, I just don't know exactly what is normal vs not. Anyway, last night I was bathing him quickly and noticed that he wouldn't touch his exposed penis head at all. I tried to touch it and he was almost in tears because it hurt. Just the head, not any other part. He says only the head hurts when it's out. He says it doesn't hurt when it's inside (how he refers to retracted vs. not) and he says it doesn't hurt when he pees or at any other time. I checked on him again this afternoon out of curiosity, and all his answers are the same. I have always noticed that it's (the head) slightly purpleish in color, but assumed that was bloodflow? The edges of the foreskin are slightly red when he retracts, but he only complains of pain on the head, not the actual retraction or anything.

Like most boys he can hardly keep his hands off it, and I am just worried maybe there's an infection even though it's not quite presented as one. He also still wears a pull-up at night, and though stays dry about 1/2 the time I wonder if the urine is irritating the penis, even though the head is covered? I am going to call the doctor in the morning, but they likely won't be able to see him until Monday. Also, they were always supportive of the fact that he's intact, but I don't know exactly how truely knowledgeable they will be, yk? I'd like to be armed with some information of what it could be just in case, or maybe this is more normal than I think it should be and I don't need to take him?

Sorry so long, thanks for your help...

[eepster]

It is normal for it to be extremely sensitive, and deep red or purple is a normal color.   The penis glans is analogous to the clitoris glans, so you can use that sensation level and color as comparison.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The glans of the intact penis is comparable to the clitoris in sensitivity. So it can be a bit overwhelming for a little guy to have that part touched at all. One of the reasons for the rinse only rule.
Like pp said the normal color of the intact glans is a bright purple/red color since it is an internal organ. Circ cause the glans to dry out and become thicker skinned causing the pale coloration.

[LovinBabySophia]

Thank you so much for the responses. I had sort of figured it was just normal, but had a second guess myself moment when my friend said her intact son has never seemed to experience this. I guess it just proves all boys are different and I should trust my mama instincts.

It's funny how much research and reading I did 5 years ago in making the arguments and decision not to circ, and now, after never having to think about it since then really, I just felt helpless. Like I suddenly doubted anything I once knew. You do not want to know what you find when you google "extremely sensitive uncirc penis" lol

Thanks for being here when I am not smart enough to follow my gut ;)

[hlg1212]

My oldest who is 8 recently had some soreness, and I think it was due to more retraction happening at that time.  Plus, he had been showing my DH his "new trick" with pulling it back, so I think he went a little overboard with handling it (I know TMI).  Anyway, we told him not to mess with it so much for a couple of days, and it felt better.  No issues since then.

[AnnDMFT]

Ditto to what everyone said.  The glans is supposed to be a deep purple or reddish color.  Circ'ed mens' glans undergo keritinization after it is rubbed and exposed to the environment which leaves their glans a faded gray-ish color.  I would guess that when he says that it "hurts," he may just not have the right vocabulary for the sensation that he is feeling which is probably very intense! 

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

A thread you may find helpful describes what is normal when going through separation or if there is a problem can be found here http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=764732