My poor little boy--advice needed please

[MaWhit]

My son is 13.5 months old and intact. About 2-3 weeks ago, along with his first real diaper rash, the tip of his foreskin started getting really irritated--red, swollen, and chapped looking. I figured this was normal, and was grateful that he was intact so that the foreskin was there to protect the glans... Well, his diaper rash (for reasons unknown) degenerated into bleeding wounds and his foreskin got worse as well. I finally got the diaper rash/wounds cleared up last week with a combination/alternation of Burt's Bees diaper rash ointment and cornstarch. But his foreskin has just gotten progressively worse. It is red for probably half an inch, and all around the swollen tip it is now open and bleeding. Oh, it looks SO painful and I don't know what to do! I don't want to take him to the doc, because he is the oddity and it is likely they'll say to cut. (And I don't go to docs unless absolutely necessary, anyway).

What can I do? Here's what I've tried:

~switching from cloth diapers with fleece liner, to no fleece liner, to Tushies disposables, and back again. And again.
~calendula cream
~BB diaper rash ointment
~corn starch
~Neosporin
~cleaning with wet wipe (water), and cleaning only with running water (no wipe).
~lots of airtime
~frequent changes

This does not look normal and I don't know what to do. Are there any herbal or homeopathic remedies I can try? Any new combination of treatments? Sympathy, advice, BTDT?

HELP!

[Aloe]

I also prefer to treat things at home but sometimes it's time to head to the doctor. I sometimes get so turned off my the medical profession that I forget that they are there to help. Most importantly it is your decision to let them cut or not.

Whether or not you talk him in to the doc, good luck and one last suggestion...

My youngest boy got diaper rash that just wouldn't leave. No bleeding but close. I determined it was a yeast infection and I used grapefruit seed extract (i'll look for the link) watered down and that helped (along with me talking the extract (he nurses) and giving it to him orally).

I'm tired and I hope this makes sense, Good Luck

[Breathe]

I'd second two of those suggestions: go ahead and see the doctor, knowing that you can accept or refuse anything you want; AND think about yeast. If it's yeast, all those ointments will just make it worse. Maybe you can ask the dr. to check for yeast.

Good luck! And remember that YOU have the final say about his health and there are VERY FEW legitimate reasons for circumcising a male!

[Sarah]

CORNSTARCH FEEDS YEAST

go buy some over the counter yeast cream and use it in the time before you go to the doctor... go to the doctor and get a culture done so you know what you are dealing with because using the wrong drugs for the wrong thing can worsen the problem rather than fix it. Insist on the doctor getting a swab on a slide.

I am sure with the proper treatment it will clear up really fast.

Love Sarah

[Aloe]

Just wanted to add that I tried everthing before I realized it was yeast.

We will all be here to support you if the doc says something you don't agree with,

[MaWhit]

The reason I haven't felt like it is time to go to the doc yet is because it seems to be following the same progression as his diaper rash, but the sores appeared after the ones on his bum had healed. I am still hopeful that I can heal these as well. In addition, he never seems to be in pain from it at all except when I try to wipe it directly with the wipe.

Is it possible that this could be yeast-based even though the original diaper rash responded well to my treatments?

[MaWhit]

Oh, and FYI, I will call the doc first thing tomorrow.

[Frankly Speaking]

When you see the doctor, if he/she even hints at circumcision ask "Is that the treatment you would use if my daughter had the same problem?" (whether you have a daughter or not) and of course, he/she is going to say "No." and you say "Just do the same thing for my son that you would do for my daughter. This may take him/her aback but that's OK. The same treatment will work for either.

Be sure to tell him/her beforehand not to retract for any reason. The problem is visible from the outside and if it is on the inside, it will be the same thing. No need to retract.



Frank

[TigerTail]

hmmm, i've got some redness on the tip w/ both my boys... sam's (which i believe is just more excema related skin probs) and a bit on max. lots of air time, and no lotions (but bactroban on sam's like the doc said, if it looks near infection)... but i wonder WHY are they both red? is this normal? why, why, why???

suse

[LaLaLuna]

Two things I can suggest; if it's yeast, a baking soda bath may help clear it up.

Try to think back to what may have triggered this rash ( i know- who can remember yesterday much less two or three weeks ago?!) so you don' t (hopefully) ever have to go through this again. With my two sons, citrus was a horror- gave them the same kind of bleeding wound rash you describe. I once had to hold ds1 for two days and nights running, diaperless, with his tushie poked up in the air because it was the only position in which he wouldn't scream in pain because a well-meaning friend gave him a couple orange slices.

[MaWhit]

Ok. I haven't called the doc yet and now I'm not sure if I should. Let me know what you think. Lately mornings have been the worst with this "rash", and there is usually blood where the foreskin touches the diaper at the tip (on dipe and foreskin) when I change the first diaper of the day. At least the 2 days before posting our problem... Well, I braced myself for today's dipe, and where there were a few tiny smudges of blood on the dipe, I saw no blood on the foreskin, and the redness and swelling is all but gone from the topside of the tip. It is still swollen on the underside section though. Should I still take him in even though it seems to be improving now? I hesitate, because I'd have to take both kids and they both always seem to come down with some illness after sitting in the waiting room full of sick kids...

I'll check back in an hour or so to see what y'all advise...

edited for typos and to add that I think I'll watch it today and call this afternoon or tomorrow if things don't continue to improve.

[MaWhit]

AS for what may have casued the rash in the first place, I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is that for 3.5 weeks he has been teething...3 molars at the same time. And they won't come in! This whole time the gums have been hugely swollen and purple... they look like they've been inflated with a air pump... Anyone who sees them gasps in sympathetic pain, although they don't seem to bother him ALL the time. The rash started about the same time I noticed the ridiculously huge swelling (so did a mild cough), and I was going to wait until his teeth came through to see if these other things would subside...but the teeth won't come though!

Ao, anyway, that's the only thing I can think of that correlates.

[MaWhit]

double post

[MaWhit]

triple post

[Frankly Speaking]

If things are improving and continue to improve, I would just keep an eye on it. Kids will have these things and recover on their own. It's the immume system at work

There could certainly be a correlation between the teeth and the foreskin problem. When one part of the body gets out of whack, it affects other parts of the body, sometimes noticably and sometimes not.

What ever it is, it doesn't sound like it is causing him pain or other problems and there is nothing that could have an adverse effect on his general health. A little "wait and see" time sounds appropriate.




Frank

[Eman'smom]

Have you tried a little lansinoh, or similar product, it might help.

[Dragonfly]

One thing that seemed to help ds when his foreskin would get irritated (though we didn't have sores) was to soak for a bit in warm water with tea trea oil and calendula oil added...

Hope your baby is feeling better

[Xenogenesis]

Seeing that things are/were improving I also would also wait-and-see. Picking up some ointment for yeast might be a good idea in case it flares up again. Or a children's liquid acidopholous combination (the other ingredients are also probiotics which all work together and better in combination with each other) to keep the yeasties at bay.

Sure hope he's feeling better.

[MaWhit]

**UPDATE**

I took him to the doc today, because it just wasn't getting any better, even though it kept looking like it for a few days... Then it would get worse... Unfortunately I didn't see the lansinoh post and those that followed, but I'll definitely keep that info in mind from now on...

Get this...the doc said that Leo has phimosis and balanitis. He recommended circumcision since it can be recurring. I told him that that would be a last resort and that it was clear he had an infection and to treat it as such. He prescribed antibiotics and a topical cream, as well as tylenol every 4 hours and as much diaper-free time as possible. I will not be giving the tylenol every four hours, since Leo shows no sign of pain unless we try to wipe it directly or let him sit in soapy bath water. I picked up the antibiotics and cream and have started treatment. He will be diaper-free or in coverless cloth for a while.

I know phimosis is a crock, as it is completely unreasonable to expect his foreskin to retract at such a tender age. And since I was such a mother wolf, the doc never got a chance to try anyway, so how the heck would he know? And how can he think that he has balanitis...isn't this the same as BXO (balanitis xerotica obliterans)? This is a rare skin condition which results in hard white painless skin, correct? Leo's skin is very, very red, oozing some white, and very painful to the touch. Idiot doctor. He also said that if he isn't showing signs of improvement by Monday (this is Sat.) to come in and that he'd need to be referred to a pediatric urologist for a consultation about the circumcision... That doesn't seem like much time, does it?

Oh, and one more irritation... He asked if Leo was still nursing and I said yes and stupidly told him I was also pregnant. He asked how far along I was (16 wks) and told me "the recommendation" is for me to wean soon. Phthhhhhhbt.:

So, whaddaya think? What do I do if the infection doesn't clear up with this treatment?

edited to add that he did take a culture (which made my poor boy scream)

[Xenogenesis]

I guess removing the infected body part would certainly make sure it would never get infected again. I'm glad they didn't recommend this when I had a urinary tract infection !! (I'm kinda attached to my urinary tract : ) And what about that cold sore on my lip. (I guess they could always claim dual purposes of no more cold sores AND cosmetic surgery rolled into one easy-for-them procedure.)

Shouldn't you be administering ALL the antibiotic first before determining if he's better?

Good for you for still nursing him. Breastmilk is the optimal food for him and also allows him to feel comforted. MANY womyn have nursed through a pregnancy. Including me. Visit the Pregnancy Forum here at MotherDot Commune if you have any concerns. (I don't usually advertise this fact In Real Life cuz too many are ignorant about nursing in general.)