8 year old not retracted yet...Im worried but I don't want to take him to Dr. office.

[miggymama]

My 8 year old son is not retracted yet and the only reason I am worried is because the tip of his foreskin is very pink.  He doesn't not complain of it hurting at all but it just looks so pink to me.  I don't know that much about foreskin as no one in my family is not circumcised.  We took him to the Dr. at 3 years old because he was balloning when he urinated.  The Dr. tried to retract him gently and said that if it didn't retract within a couple of months we would need to circumsize him.  I did some research and wrote on the boards and found out very different information.  So we have never been back for that issue.  We just thought we would wait it out and that he would retract in his own time.  I want to still feel comfortable with taking that laid back approach but he is now 8 and I am starting to worry again.  His penis doesn't balloon up as much with urnination and that is an improvement over the years.  The foresking hole just looks so small and red that I am worried and I don't know what to do (if anything).  Thank you for any advice or life experience you may have to share! 

[ttcintexas]

My son is only 3.5 yrs and I don't know much about retraction---I did a little reading a few weeks ago on the The Case Against Circumcision forum when my son's penis was really red, swollen and later started to have some discharge. Maybe you should try to crosspost there. Good luck.

[Marnica]

I agree with posting there.

My son is only 3, but from what I have learned  - retraction sometimes doesn't happen until puberty and that is still considered very normal. My son's forskin tip is often red - as long as he is not inpain, I don't worry about it. Sounds like your 8 yo is perfectly normal.

[Panserbjorne]

my doc told me not to worry until he was a teen.  my ds is only five, but he's nowhere close to retraction.  there can be redness at times, but he's never uncomfortable or tender.