9 yr old tiny forskin opening

[bev02]

My nine year old son has a tiny forskin opening. It is so small you cant even tell there is a hole there!  THe ped. gave us some steroid ointment and we have used that for about 4 weeks. And everything looks the same. When he pulls back on his forskin he says that it does not hurt but it does sting.

He balloons when he pees and has for a long time. But the opening is barely there. He does pee fine.

I know that he ped. is going to ask about it next time we see her. I am worried that he is not going to have a fully functioning penis when he gets older and want to use it for more than peeing.

You know when he was about six years old the opening was a tad bigger and he could pull the forskin back just enough to see the tip of his penis. But there is no way now. The hole is way too tiny.

I am also concerned that he will be too embarressed or scared to come talk to us when he is a teenager if he ever has any pain or problems from this.

What should I do at this pont? HELP!

[Treece]

I don't have any experience with a child that age (yet).

I would also contact Doctors Opposing Circumcision for some advice. http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/

Good luck.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The opening of the foreskin is a sphincter like the anus when not in use it clamps down. So just looking at it and seeing a "tiny" hole means nothing. You should watch him go to the bathroom making sure he dosnt know you are watching and I bet money you will see the opening widen considerably. If you do not then there might be a real problem. Was he ever forcibly retracted by anyone when he was little like at Dr visits or in daycare? Did you push back on his foreskin to clean? Those kinds of things can cause scare tissue and why we always say no one but the owner is ever allowed to retract.

Your ds is ballooning so that tells me separation is underway. The last part of separation is when the sphincter at the tip releases to allow full retraction. Your ds is not there yet and at only 9yo it is not an issue and will not be until he is well into puberty. The steroid cream is useless until his body is ready to retract. I would just tell the Dr. all is well and leave your ds's penis to do what it needs to as nature allows it.

[Ash!]

 

If your son pees fine then his non-retactable foreskin is not an issue... My son is 12, and his foreskin has yet to retract as well.

The worse thing to believe is that there IS a problem with a foreskin, then mess with it, and create a real problem. Just leave it alone, and stop advising him to try to retract it. 

See www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/info/retraction.html for more info.

[eepster]

Your DS has plenty of time for his foreskin to become fully retractable.  It is perfectly normal to not become fully retractable well into puberty.  

Ballooning is also perfectly normal and harmless.

Steroid creams are for adults and only work when combined with stretching exercises that are inappropriate for children.  If your DS is still not retractable when he is 16 or 17 yo and he is uncomfortable with that, then steroid cream and stretching would be an appropriate treatment.

[bev02]

Thanks for the information. It helps to be reminded about everything that I have read. And to be reminded that these things just dont happen at the same age for every boy.  Thanks again!

Beverly

[A&A]

If he pees fine, he is fine.  Quit using the steroid! 

[Ron_Low]

Originally Posted by A&A 

If he pees fine, he is fine.  Quit using the steroid! 

Agreed.  The only point of using it would be to facilitate gentle finger stretching, which he's not old enough to worry about.