Red/swollen foreskin in 2yr old

[HeatherB]

I've been dealing with diaper rash-type problems with my CD'd 25mo old for several months now, and periodically his foreskin seems to be involved. Right now, though, everything else has responded well to the cream I've concocted for him, other than his foreskin, which is still red and swollen. His scrotum is also looking bad off and on. The skin on both gets quite dry and will actually flake off when he runs around naked, as he does often at home (he's great about going potty when he's diaperless!). He does look better after being in the open air, but it's still pink, if not red.

I'm just wondering if anyone has insight as to what this could be. My pedi has actually been good about not bothering his foreskin and not going after us for some of our decisions like CDing and not circing, even when faced with some much worse, related problems. BUT - I'm still not eager to take him in! Mostly at this point because I'd rather use natural products wherever possible, and not abx or steroids or whatever, if it's not really necessary. (Obviously I will use any of the above if truly necessary!)

Anyhow, I would appreciate any advice on what might be going on! There are days when it is AWFUL, and others where it seems pretty much okay!

FWIW, on Monday he woke up with his entire groin red - not on his bum at all, just on groin, and well defined. Now, it's a lighter brown and somewhat rough patch above his penis. I have the feeling one of my boys had a similar rash at some point, but I can't even remember which one, let alone when! So I don't know if it's related or not, but there's that in case it helps shed some light...

Oh, and he's peeing fine now (when it's really bad he SCREAMS when he pees, until the diaper comes off) - normal flow and no obvious pain.

Thanks for any help!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Could he have eczema? It could also be a food allergy. Have you treated him for yeast? The 7 day monistate works well. My ds is having trouble w/ some thing he is eating causing his scrotum and penis to get really irritated I havnt nailed down what it is yet tho

[Quirky]

Sounds like yeast to me. Have you treated the diapers, and if you're still nursing, treated yourself? Sometimes yeast can become a problem for the whole family and it gets passed around. It can take weeks of treatment to get rid of it once it becomes systemic.

His foreskin isn't causing the problem, any more than your labia cause the problem when you have a yeast infection. It's just one more area to be affected by the yeast, which is a symptom of an overall imbalance in the flora of your body.

Cut out any sugar (including juices, refined carbs like white flour bread and white flour pasta), and really up the probiotics. Lots of yogurt, kefir, etc. Abx would be about the worst thing you could do, but you should seriously consider doing an anti-yeast cream from the pharmacy. Grapefruit seed extract, in a bottle of water that you spray on at every diaper change, may help.

[HeatherB]

Thanks for the info! I'm also thinking it could be yeast, after reading some about yeast infections (including the skin peeling part), and that it has reacted best to a concoction with more yeast-fighting ingredients. Here's what I'm putting on him:

- Weleda Baby Calendula Cream (carrier and mild barrier)
- Colloidal Silver (to fight any infection present)
- Echinacea/Goldenseal (for possible infection and just because I had it!)
- TTO (stopped using it now)
- GSE (for antifungal properties)
- powdered acidophilus (anti-yeast)

The addition of the GSE made the biggest difference a month or two ago, and then adding the acidophilus seemed to help in the last couple of days, hence my thought that it might, in fact, be yeast. I've also just bought some plain yogurt with 8 live cultures which I may spread on, and also feed to him. The wipes solution we'd been using also has GSE in it, though I need to get more now!

I have definitely thought it might be food-related, though, especially as he gets abrasions on his bottom after some stools, which then ulcerate if not treated with this mixture immediately. He still has scars from the ones over the last several months.

Okay, now he needs to go potty! Gotta ruN!