Need some help - Page 2

[trmpetplaya]

Swollen Foreskin (by Frank S.)
http://changa.org/circumcision/

Often if not most of the time, it can be something called separation trauma that is a normal part of development in boys. The foreskin is exquisitely sensitive and very similar to the eyelids and lips. Just like a minor bump on the lip can cause it to get very red and swollen with what we call a “fat lip” the foreskin responds the same way to any physical insult. As the boy’s foreskin prepares for separation of the bond to the glans, it is not an even process with spots remaining adhered and areas around it fully released. With the boy pulling at it and with erections, these spots get pulled and slight tears in the inner mucosal foreskin or surface of the glans result and the response of the child’s body is redness or swelling. This redness or swelling can be significant and alarming but the situation is (generally) not serious. Symptoms (almost always) improve greatly or completely subside within 24 to 36 hours and everything (often) goes back to normal just as a fat lip does. (I'd suggest) watching your son for 24 hours from the first symptoms and if you see significant improvement, continue to watch.

If the problem doesn't resolve within a day or two then you should get a doctor to make a culture because it is most likely an infection One thing you do need to watch for is a weak or fine stream of urine which would require immediate medical attention.

But most cases of red or swollen foreskin are just from seperation which is perfectly normal!

love and peace.

[l_olive]

Originally Posted by Iri920

Ack I was just reading the discharge papers and on the very papers it states that the skin usually doesn't retract until 3-5 years and sometimes not until adolescence and that this is normal. It also emphasises to not try to force the foreskin back as it can lead to injury and scarring. I'm just pissed that the doctor has obviously never read this since she did try to pull the skin back and I had to take her hands away. And she kept on insisting that it wasn't normal and that it needed to be fixed.

Iri

Isn't it absolutely mind-blowingly amazing that the docs are that ignorant? And then after awhile you start to wonder what ELSE they don't know anything about, and you realize that you have to be your child's (and your own) advocate about EVERY SINGLE MEDICAL DECISION. Well, at least that's where I'm at right now.

And I'm really proud of any mom who is able to do what you've done. You're a smart strong mom!!! He's a lucky little boy.

--Olive

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Once seperation starts to happen from time to time there can be some pain when they urinate because there is a small raw spot were it has came loose. What can really help in this situation is to let them pee in a cup of water so that the urine is diluted and it wont burn as much or sometimes not at all.

Usually when it is seperation trauma the pain usually stops in 24-48 hours. It can be accompanied by a bit of redness and swelling as well. If it dosnt resolve in that time frame a swab should be done to figure out if it is yeast or a bacteria.

Originally Posted by esmlranch

What do you think could be going on? I was afraid I would have to circ, but what I am reading here is that it is perfectly normal to have a tight foreskin at his age, and for many more years. Whew. That ER doc really had me all freaked out. Has anyone else experienced this type of situation? Should I just keep doing the baths?

It sounds like the normal seperation process is going on. This can go on off and on for weeks or months until full seperation is acheived. Keep doing the baths as they can be very soothing making sure to avoid him sitting in soapy water. When you give him a bath be sure to save the soap till after he is standing up and make sure that you rinse him off well. Since soap or bubble bath can be extremely irritating to the genitals of both boys and girls.


For you to have seen the head of his penis I am assuming he has shown you by retracting his foreskin since no one but him should be messing with his foreskin. The normal intact glans of the intact penis is a bright purple/red normally. The reason for this is because it is a internal organ and it hasnt been karatinized by rubbing his clothing. So a bright red glans is nothing to be concerned over unless there is dishcarge and the child is in pain.

[esmlranch]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

For you to have seen the head of his penis I am assuming he has shown you by retracting his foreskin since no one but him should be messing with his foreskin. The normal intact glans of the intact penis is a bright purple/red normally. The reason for this is because it is a internal organ and it hasnt been karatinized by rubbing his clothing. So a bright red glans is nothing to be concerned over unless there is dishcarge and the child is in pain.

Sorry I didn't make it clear. It wasn't the head of his penis, it was the tip w/foreskin that was so red. I have never seen the head. DS is much better now. No pain when urinating and no redness. I think that it was probably a little soap irritation. I am SO GLAD I did not follow er docs orders for an antibiotic!

[trmpetplaya]

Originally Posted by esmlranch

Sorry I didn't make it clear. It wasn't the head of his penis, it was the tip w/foreskin that was so red. I have never seen the head. DS is much better now. No pain when urinating and no redness. I think that it was probably a little soap irritation. I am SO GLAD I did not follow er docs orders for an antibiotic!

Excellent! I'm glad that it cleared up and he's doing fine now

love and peace.

[AntoninBeGonin]

Originally Posted by CalenandEllasmomma

Hey Iri,

I'm a Pedi Nurse. A Doctor needs to take a special q-tip for culturing that comes in a medium and take a culture from the tip of your DS's penis. Then they could tell what you are actually dealing with.

I have no idea why a Physician would recommend creating a wound in the presence of possible infection. It just makes no sense to me. Why on earth would he want to open up and expose more vulnerable tissue to whatever infection might already be present? :

And in my humble opinion a Urine sample was unnecessary.

HTH. I would get a second opinion.

This is such great, concise information that I'm saving this thread in my circumcision favorites folder!

[AntoninBeGonin]

Originally Posted by jen816

I just thought I might throw out the possibility that he is beginning to retract. When my 3rd ds was a little over 2 years, he had an episode similar to what you described where he was screaming when he peed. He was still in diapers and I did notice that there was some pus on his diaper. His penis was slightly swolen. I took him to the dr and they did a urine test. It came back fine. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just let him soak in the tub for a very long time and made sure he was drinking LOTS of fluid. By the next night he was fine and I didn't think any more about it.

Six months later it happened again, only this time he was going on the potty. I was getting ready to take him into the dr again when he called me into the bathroom and what do you know, he had pulled his foreskin all the way back! I was quite surprised. I also noticed that his glans was extremely red where the adhesions had recently released. I'm sure it hurt a great deal when urine touched that spot. He hasn't had an episode like it in the 2 years since.

I hope your ds is feeling better soon!

Jen

This seems to be common enough that perhaps we should prepare our sons for the possibility that there may be pain when they start to retract. That way it doesn't come as such a surprise and hopefully would hurt less if they knew it was normal and not something going wrong and scary.

~Nay

[l_olive]

Originally Posted by AntoninBeGonin

This seems to be common enough that perhaps we should prepare our sons for the possibility that there may be pain when they start to retract. That way it doesn't come as such a surprise and hopefully would hurt less if they knew it was normal and not something going wrong and scary.

~Nay

Last month when my son was going through the ballooning and discomfort during urination, I told him that it was just all part of getting to be a big kid. Several of his older friends are starting to lose baby teeth, and I made the parallel with that -- it's not always comfortable and can be sore for a little while, but it's all part of growing up! He seemed to accept that and it calmed him a great deal. Perhaps it would have been easier if I had mentioned it ahead of time.

To the original poster... any updates? How's the little guy (and his little guy) doing now?

--Olive