Found what caused vaginial irritation in my daughter

[Momonamission1]

To all of you who have a child with irritation of private parts - PLEASE read this and I hope it will help.  My daughter had irritation of the skin of private parts for 3 years - pretty much as soon as she turned 1.  First doctor visit she was given a cream for yeast infection.  Didn't really help that much.  I was told all the things I new already about wiping clean, cotton panties, no wet bathing suits.  I also heard - it's normal for children to be a little curious (she was always pulling at the panties) and she is probably causing little scratches.  I knew it wasn't it - but I didn't know what it was.  She got URI and I was petrified that we missed it for so long but as it turned out - it was not really it either. 

So I found forums like this one.  Someone advised not to give girls baths only showers and we have been doing it for almost 8 months.  They did help a little.  A protective cream few times a day helped also.  Showers were done before and after bed, after every bathroom visit.  And this is when it hit me.  She was a little better after shower but not really GETTING better.   

I'm writing this so you understand two things - my pain of watching my daughter suffer every day was real and that you need to take your child to a doctor first.  Follow my advice if you already stopped believing them. 

It was not yeast, curiosity or other crazy thing - it was CITRIC ACID in her diet.  She drank a lot of juice off the shelf and likes jello.  Well, since showers were helping I started to think what if something was getting out of her system which was literally eating away at her delicate skin in the private area.  Two weeks after cutting ALL citric acid, she had first spell of normal skin.  She only had two episodes of visually noticed redness and discomfort (crying that it hurts when she pees) in the last 6 months.  The first time she admitted to having a juice box at school and the second after eating a lot of pizza with tomato sauce,  Both times she was normal within 32 hours. 

She can have freshly squeezed orange juice, lemons etc.  Do not confuse artificial citric acid, which is a poison with citrus fruit.  READ ALL FOOD LABELS - you'll be surprised what it's added to.  Then read more on citric acid and try to eliminate it.   It will not hurt to.

It's been a while and I still watch things daily saying a little prayer daily but perhaps this can help someone out there...

Good Luck  

PS.  I found an older thread but it's locked so I could not add to it...

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/247179/little-girls-and-vaginal-irritation

[neonalee]

This is truly FASCINATING to me!  Because when I was in my late teens I went through this horrible, hellish period where I was irritated and itchy.  I saw docs, took meds, I switched soaps, hotter showers, colder showers, softer washclothes, cotton underwear, nothing tight, OMG everything.  I was also at that time drinking TONS of orange juice, probably not any kind of natural at that point in my life.  I long suspected the OJ was the culprit.  When I was pregnant with DS I had a week or so where it happened again.

I can't tell you how glad I am to see someone else report this!

[Bena]

This is interesting.  I had heard of citric acid intolerance before, and it causing topical irritation (as all acids would) but not vaginal issues.

However, just so you know, citric acid is citric acid, regardless of it's source.  Artificial or not, it is the same molecule.  So, if it is the citric acid your daughter is reacting too, you really should watch her citrus food intake.  The differences you are noticing are probably simply in the concentration of acid, but lemons and limes are very high (much higher than oranges) and could cause her problems.

Just something to consider.

Good luck!  I'm glad things are finally working out for you!!

[Greenlea]

Originally Posted by Momonamission1 

She can have freshly squeezed orange juice, lemons etc.  Do not confuse artificial citric acid, which is a poison with citrus fruit.  READ ALL FOOD LABELS - you'll be surprised what it's added to.  Then read more on citric acid and try to eliminate it.   It will not hurt to.

It's been a while and I still watch things daily saying a little prayer daily but perhaps this can help someone out there...

Good Luck  

PS.  I found an older thread but it's locked so I could not add to it...

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/247179/little-girls-and-vaginal-irritation

Why is artificial citric acid a poison? 

[Bena]

Originally Posted by Greenlea 

Why is artificial citric acid a poison? 

It's not.  It's the same thing as natural citric acid.

too much of it is an irritant, and some people can be more sensitive to it.  But to have any serious effect, you'd have to have prolonged and severe exposure or inhalation of pure citric acid.  not likely in the case of the amount you would find in consumable goods.  I am quoting this from the MSD sheet (the material safety data sheet that is produced for every chemical substance)

The geek that I am found the MSD sheet online, but I couldn't copy it here for some technical reason (I never said I was a computer geek!!)

[heatherdeg]

People react differently to different things.  Environmental/inhaled allergens rendered my younger brother temporarily deaf (literally).  Thanks, OP, for posting this in case one of us winds up with a child that is unable to process citric acids like your dd.  Because when you're desperate and watching your child suffer--you'll try anything.  And voila--it may work.  Did for us with dairy and my son never having looked me in the eye or laying his head on my shoulder (until we removed the last traces--just before he was 1yo).

You never know.

[HidaShara]

Very interesting!  My DD is 3 and also has a "red vagina" almost constantly.  We haven't been to the doctor about it because I assumed it's related to not wiping clean at daycare (or by herself).  It has definitely been worse since she's been daycare-age, but this could also be dietary!  I know she is sensitive to citrus when she eats/drinks it - she gets a sort of burn on her lips if she even drinks more than a few tablespoons of orange juice.  I hadn't thought it might continue out the other end!

Great info - I am going to have to test this out!