Need Information Please!

[qofk]

DS1 is 9 years old and is intact.  His foreskin was never retracted in infancy.  He has had no infections or problems with his penis, aside from some pain roughly a year ago before/during urination.  This pain was substantial enough that it would wake him from a dead sleep and caused some yelping and crying.  He was unable to retract his foreskin at all (age 8) and I observed ballooning during urination, which I gathered was normal.  At that time we took him to our family doctor who advised that, despite his painful episodes, the ballooning was normal and that we should not interfere in any way with normal development, though he suggested that DS1 gently encourage his skin to retract so long as he wasn't forcing it or causing himself pain.

I don't believe that DS1 really did much "stretching".  The pain seemed to resolve on it's own.  Recently, his dad told me that he mentioned that it was hurting again and we made another appointment.

His dad took him to his appointment and told me that the doctor is now suggesting circumcision.

I need information before I go into the next appointment to discuss this with him.  I understand that there are alternative treatments available?  Is it too soon to even be considering this, since he is still so young?  I want to avoid surgery unless there truly is no other alternative.  DS1 has told me that it was only hurting one time - otherwise it has not been bothering him.  His dad told me that at the appointment, neither he nor the doctor could see an opening in his foreskin (though obviously there is, as he can urinate).  Is that considered an issue?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

It is very possible that the recent pain is from the retraction process starting. At 9yo even mentioning the possibility of cir tells me the Dr. dosnt understand normal foreskin development. Here is a thread you should find helpful http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=764732 and yes ballooning is 100% normal and part of growing up for many intact boys.

I honestly wouldnt bother talking to the Dr. since your ds is already back to normal right? Circ is never the option for a child who cant retract and the other treatment options only come into play once he is in well into or past puberty ie the steroid cream and stretching.

What your ds needs is time and when he has pain watch him and if it pases quickly then it was normal separation issues like it sounds like was going on this time and possibly the last.

The opening of the foreskin a sphincter like the anus when not in use it clamps down and when in use it loosens up. So when someone is messing with it like the Dr. was it is totally normal for it so clamp down making it look super small. I bet if you or your ds where to watch him urinate I bet you would see a good urine stream indicating a normal foreskin opening.

[qofk]

Thank you for your response!

[mama24-7]

The other thing to remember is that in cultures/societies that do not normally practice RIC (routine infant circumcision), most men die w/ their foreskins.  In Scandinavian countries, they'd never dream of recommending circ for this "problem."  

I think it's very normal & generally a good thing for parents to be motivated by pain in their children.  Unfortunately, sometimes this creates problems when the medical person you are seeing does not fully understand what can be normal in intact boys.  

What a lucky boy you have to have kept him as he was born & to be looking into things now.  Not every child is so lucky.

Best wishes,

Sus

[hakunangovi]

Good for you for keeping your son intact.  As a pp suggested, his pain during urination is most likely due to the separation process whereby the synecchia are breaking down and releasing the bond between inner foreskin and glans.  I am sorry to have to say this, but your doctor seems to be very uninformed about normal (i.e. intact) male genitalialia.   The average age for aquiring the ability to retract one's foreskin is 10 1/2.   There are a myriad of methods to treat a tight foreskin (should that be desired after puberty) and none involve amputation.  It is discouraging that your doctor appears to be ignorant of all of them.  You might be interested in the following for future reference:

www.cirp.org/library/treatment/phimosis   There are links to tons of references at the end.

www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2490/8/6    A relatively new treatment that looks to be most promising

[EmbraceLife]

Love the information.  Glad I found this forum.

Our sons are intact and are only one year old.  I have had two different pediatricians tell me opposite things about caring for intact sons.  I've also had one of them say there's a problem ... which there's really not.

Thanks for asking the question.  These are great things to be aware of and knowledgeable of as the boys grow!