foreskin question 8 yo son

[AliciaP8]

I don't post at MDC very often but I remembered this group and have a question. I'm Alicia, mom to 8 yo Isaac and I have a question about his foreskin.

For background, we've never done anything to care for his penis other than washing the outside just like we washed the other parts of his body. He learned that he could retract his foreskin himself when he was about 4 years old. More recently he doesn't seem to play with it as much (at least not in front of me) so I haven't noticed anything different.

This week he called me in to the bathroom where he was in the tub and told me his foreskin was shrinking. He said it used to push all the way up and he could see his whole penis but now his penis grew and the foreskin is tighter and only pushes up part way.

I'm inclined to think that it is just a variation of normal and should be left alone but I would like some reassurance from someone who has dealt with something similar. My Dh is circumsized so he doesn't really know much about it either.

Any ideas? Thanks

[movingon]

When my son's foreskin first started to retract at 3, he pulled it all the way back (and boy was he excited about that), but now the end of it has grown a bit tighter (he's six, now, by the way) and it only shows the very tip of the glans. From what I've read so far this is a normal progression in the way it protects itself through the growing years. I have always maintained an attitude that if I wouldn't worry about a hymen, why should I worry about the foreskin, and have let it be. I should think if there is a problem after he's become active with a partner, then we'll worry about creams and stretching. I'm no doctor, but that's been my experience with my son. Just thought I'd chime in, since we're so woefully underknowledged (my dh is circ'd, as are my friend's sons. Kinda hard to find someone to talk to about the foreskin around here.)

[AliciaP8]

Thanks for answering. My instinct tells me to just forget about it but I had to ask

[njeb]

How was he acting? Was he alarmed about it, or was it just a matter-of-fact, "Hey, Mom, look at this!" attitude he had? Is he peeing ok?
If he was matter-of-fact, and he's peeing ok, and he's not in any pain, I wouldn't worry about it. If he's worried that his foreskin was once retractable and now isn't, you can tell him about simple stretching exercises he can do. Every time he pees, he should retract his foreskin.

I wonder if this isn't a growing thing. As we all know, maturation is an uneven process. I remember when I was going through puberty, one of my breasts developed faster than the other. Perhaps his penis is growing unevenly, too? The shaft or head is developing faster than the foreskin? Unfortunately, this is pure speculation. Can any intact males who remember being 8 years old corroborate this, or am I just full of hot air?

[Microsoap]

Originally Posted by njeb

How was he acting? Was he alarmed about it, or was it just a matter-of-fact, "Hey, Mom, look at this!" attitude he had? Is he peeing ok?
If he was matter-of-fact, and he's peeing ok, and he's not in any pain, I wouldn't worry about it. If he's worried that his foreskin was once retractable and now isn't, you can tell him about simple stretching exercises he can do. Every time he pees, he should retract his foreskin.

I wonder if this isn't a growing thing. As we all know, maturation is an uneven process. I remember when I was going through puberty, one of my breasts developed faster than the other. Perhaps his penis is growing unevenly, too? The shaft or head is developing faster than the foreskin? Unfortunately, this is pure speculation. Can any intact males who remember being 8 years old corroborate this, or am I just full of hot air?

I'm an intact male and can remember fully retracting my foreskin at that age and even to this day, don't remember the age when I first could retract it and if it was all at once or just partial; it just seems to be a given that it's always been retractable. But that's just me and everyone's different.

I'm sure it will work itself out. Good luck.

[Frankly Speaking]

I've seen a number of cases where a formerly retractile foreskin becomes non- retractile at a later time. I think this is within the range of normal and will loosen at a later time. If not, there is a simple solution. When he feels like he needs or wants to become retractile, he should start retracting as far as possible without pain each time he toilets and at each bath. Usually, within 2 to 4 weeks, the issue will totally resolve. So simple!



Frank

[AliciaP8]

Thanks everyone!

Just so you know, he wasn't at all worried by it, more like interested that it was different. It sounds like it isn't something to worry about but you know how it goes... the one thing you don't worry about turns out to be a problem Everything else you worry about all the time and turns out to be nothing! LOL