6 y/o with tingling/tickling feeling and occasional burning in penis - yeast?

[natesmamma]

Hello, This may have been covered before, but I looked at didn't see this exact issue. My 6 yo son just went through two separate courses of antibiotics for strep throat and is now experiencing what he calls the "peepee tickle". He describes it as a tickling feeling (I am thinking it is like a tingling sensation). It is not itchy or sore. Just a "tickle" but now on top of that he also has an occasional sharp burning pain that comes quickly and then leaves quickly. This happened once before when he was around 4 years of age and it was after he had tried retracting his foreskin himself (I had nothing to do with it- he was just fooling with it himself). I believed it was happening because he sped up the retraction process himself. At that time we got him tested for a UTI and it was negative. I also suspected he may have a yeast overgrowth because I have candida and I believe he was born with it. Now after taking the antibiotics at age 6 these feelings have returned. Could it be yeast? Is it likely for a boy his age to develop a yeast infection in his penis from taking antibiotics? By the way, after retracting his foreskin at age 4 he pretty much left it alone and now it does not retract as much. As if it got a little less flexible. I have not been worried about it. I have always told him he can stretch and twist his foreskin as long as it doesn't hurt. I think this is natural and that he will know when to stop. Now with this "tickle" he is always grabbing it etc. Just not sure what it might be. He does not have a fever or bladder pain and no pain at the time of urination. Thoughts? Thanks!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I would be suspicious of yeast after the abx. With intact males yeast might not always show up as a rash or redness only a vague itching. I would get some OTC monistat and apply that use the 7 day kind not the 3. If it is yeast it will clear it up if it isnt then it wont hurt anything to try it.

The not being as retractable could be related to the yeast and isnt something I would be concerned about even without yeast being there. Does he use soap to wash with, if he does then he needs to stop or be 100% sure that he rinses off with clear water really well before getting out of the bath. Soap can cause irritation leading to his symptoms and to him being less retractable as well.

[natesmamma]

Thanks! I feel the same way about it. I did actually get some monistat but only gave it to him maybe three times (over the last couple weeks). It was probably too sporadic to make a difference. So now we're starting with lots of yogurt, probiotics and a daily dose of the monistat and we'll see if that helps. I'm pretty confident it will make a difference.

I just wasn't sure if the sharp burning pain that he gets could be from yeast. It woke him up this morning! BUt then it passes right away. My dad is intact and I asked him but he wasn't familiar with the pain...

[pennnyforum]

natesmamma, we had exactly the same scenario. My second son discovered the novelty of retracting his foreskin and took great delight in making it looking like his circumcised older brother. I was a mite concerned because it was my choice to leave him intact as I had previously lost the battle with DH and MIL and having done my research to support my decision, I was going to prove that foreskins can be problem-free if left alone. Still, since retraction had been achieved by my son naturally on his own without any suggestion from me, I reasoned it must be OK.

Big mistake I now think. Retracting his foreskin so prematurely and playing with his it every bathtime probably allowed bacteria from the water to become trapped underneath. I also noticed he never quite got his skin fully forward properly and covered the glans as completely as before. You could just see the end of his glans and wee hole and clothes fluff used to get trapped under it. This is what I found when he first complained of tickling and burning. The end of the foreskin became very sore. The ped. prescribed antibiotics and cream. 

These didn't work for long and the problem kept recurring which was very miserable for him. Two years later he ended up being circumcised (same age as your son) because the foreskin tip had become so scarred and incapable of stretching to accommodate retraction. I really didn't want this but there was no alternative. Fortunately it healed quickly and he became his happy smiling self again with no problems since. My only regret is that I now wish I'd had him cut sooner. And, I do wonder if I should I have discouraged him from retracting his foreskin every bathtime? I really don't know? Once the natural adhesions are broken infection can invade.  

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Boys are supposed to mess with their foreskins it helps the retracting process. It would be very unusual for a boy to cause damage to himself by doing so.

Even if there is scar tissue there as long as the boy can urinate without trouble then it should be left alone IMO

A total circ wouldnt be needed anyway only the sphincter at the tip would have to be removed leaving the majority of the foreskin unaffected. But even before that a dorsil slit can be done and even before that there is stretching either with a balloon or manually with local anesthetic and before that there is steroid cream with stretching to allow for retraction before any cutting is considered at all . There are SO many options available but Dr's just jump on the cut it off bandwagon without even making parents aware of them and it ticks me off.

The only reason for total circ would be cancer, gangrene or frostbite. True phimosis can be fixed with the above without loosing the foreskin.

I am not criticizing the choice you made for your ds pennyforum but I am very upset that you where not given the information by your ds's Dr's above so that your ds might have kept a very important part of his penis. My hope by posting the above information is that others who may come by looking for information can go in to the Dr's armed with the proper information so that their ds's will not have to go through what your ds did and can grow up with as close to intact genitals as possible.
Edited by MCatLvrMom2A&X - 5/6/11 at 2:07pm

[hakunangovi]

I have a very strong suspicion that your DS had a yeast infection - that is what happens, the foreskin tip gets sore and chapped and less elastic. Unfortunately antibiotics excacerbate the problem.  I can't help but feel that your doctor misdiagnosed the issue and gave you some very bad advice.  I really feel for you being forced into a circumcision after trying so hard to keep your DS intact.  Also the previous poster makes an excellent point - there are many less invasive procedures to deal with a tight foreskin that preserve the whole foreskin. Circumcision is an absolute last resort, but sadly it is the often the only thing our doctors will offer because they are grossly under educated about normal male anatomy.

I know it is too late foe you, but if you are interested look at www.cirp.org/library/treatment/phimosis/   .
 

Originally Posted by pennnyforum 

 The end of the foreskin became very sore. The ped. prescribed antibiotics and cream. 

These didn't work for long and the problem kept recurring which was very miserable for him. Two years later he ended up being circumcised (same age as your son) because the foreskin tip had become so scarred and incapable of stretching to accommodate retraction. I really didn't want this but there was no alternative.

[pennnyforum]

MCatLvrMom & hakunangov

I did in fact have long discussion with a foreskin friendly ped. before taking the reluctant decision to circumcise my son. She prescribed the steroid cream but it was ineffective because the scar tissue was extensive and would not stretch. They did a full circumcision to get rid of this scar completely and to be fair, made a every neat job of it with no trace of the stitch marks now everything has settled down.

I was not offered  a dorsal slit, but had I been, I think I would not have gone with it. Surely this is neither one thing nor the other and would look cosmetically awful? As well as being embarrassingly odd and noticeable than a regular circumcision, it would also make it even easier for lint and other unwanted stuff (think of sand from the beach) to get trapped underneath the flaps? Looking further ahead, i would doubt that it would ever function like a normal foreskin during intercourse?

Let me assure you I'm upset that my son has ended up circumcised but it has ended his misery which seemed more important than my feelings on the issue. For now he is happy with it and I hope he will remain so in later life. For that resin, I will keep my regrets to myself.  

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

From what I have read and seen of a dorsil slit (you can google it and see images of actual penises that have had it done) it isnt that noticeable once healing is complete and the foreskin stays down like it should and is able to retract like it should without stuff getting caught. Even if it did look a bit different (something you couldnt see unless someone was being really intimate with him) it would be far better to have the functionality of the remaining foreskin vrs. having last it all to circ.

I hope that you will take the time to talk to your ds about this in the future and explain things to him so that when he grows up and has a family, if he chooses then he can know that leaving his ds's intact is the right thing to do.

[hakunangovi]

Originally Posted by pennnyforum 

I was not offered  a dorsal slit, but had I been, I think I would not have gone with it. Surely this is neither one thing nor the other and would look cosmetically awful? As well as being embarrassingly odd and noticeable than a regular circumcision, it would also make it even easier for lint and other unwanted stuff (think of sand from the beach) to get trapped underneath the flaps? Looking further ahead, i would doubt that it would ever function like a normal foreskin during intercourse?

I agree with you about the dorsal slit when that is all they do. It would look unsightly and would not function like a normal foreskin.  However, I think people use the term 'dorsal slit' when really they mean preputioplasty.  I am not sure how they deal with scar tissue, and you may not have had any options in your son's case.  There are different types of this procedure and, if you are interested, you can read about them at www.cirp.org/library/treatment/phimosis .  Another procedure with very impressive results is at www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2490/8/6 .

Again, I am so sorry that this happened to your son - and you.

[pennnyforum]

Thank you for your comments and advice, which sadly is a bit late now. I'm still not sure about the dorsal slit as the scar tissue was very extensive which is why they've given him a very complete circ. even more than his brother who was cut as a baby.

Certainly I will talk with him and explain things if an opportune moment comes up. I have done so already to some extent because of the surgery. It doesn't help that his father and brother and two of his best friends are all circumcised and his brief experience of being intact wasn't a good one. It begs the obvious question; why didn't I have it done when he was a baby. Like I said he is happy with his situation right now but I will have another talk with him when he is older about the choice I tried to make for him.

[Charles Price]

Is there any blood that comes out when your son urinates if so keep an eye on it and if not still keep an eye on it but if anything gets worse take him to the dodctor and if not take him to the hospital because I use to live in Cambridge Ontario and I lived with this one guy and his girl friend well I had burning pains when I urinated well I knew something was wrong and so I told this guy and him and his girlfriend said wait to see if it will pass it didn't and blood came out after and with the urin so seen the doctor and went and had a altrasound done I had I think it was a urinary infection and trust me it hurt but now I am ok and I have not had that problem at all lately but like I said make sure there is no blood if you ever see blood after he urinates or blood comes out during urination that is when you need to be concerned about your kid and I can see how much you care but don't let it go to far to where he will cry while urinating so I am a guy and no kids but I am helping you through on what I told you about myself if this helps a bit then I am glad that I could help with my advice and story about myself