Really naive question

[wagamama]

My 2.5 year old DS is uncircumcised. Lately he has been playing with his penis a lot, and I noticed that the foreskin retracts all the way. It also looks red sometimes. I asked him if it hurts, but he said no. Anyway, I have three questions:

1. Is it normal to be fully retractable at this age?
2. It the redness a problem?
3. This is the really naive part -- is it ok to let ds play with his penis as much as he wants? I assumed so, but dh, who is uncircumcised, says that we shouldn't let dsplay to much, b/c he could get his penis dirty or might hurt himself. Ds is Japanese, BTW.

TIA!

[Fellow Traveler]

Originally Posted by wagamama

My 2.5 year old DS is uncircumcised. Lately he has been playing with his penis a lot, and I noticed that the foreskin retracts all the way. It also looks red sometimes. I asked him if it hurts, but he said no. Anyway, I have three questions:

1. Is it normal to be fully retractable at this age?
2. It the redness a problem?
3. This is the really naive part -- is it ok to let ds play with his penis as much as he wants? I assumed so, but dh, who is uncircumcised, says that we shouldn't let dsplay to much, b/c he could get his penis dirty or might hurt himself. Ds is Japanese, BTW.

TIA!

First there are no naive or stupid questions. Never be concerned with asking.

1. It varies with the boy. Some are retractable early other may not get there until late teens. So that is just fine. One thing to point out is that even though he is retractable that doesn't mean you should retract him and clean. Just keep doing what you have been doing. If he happens to want to retract it in the tub well that is up to him but it isn't necessarily required just because he can do it.

2. No not really. The redness can be one of many things. First the foreskin is rich in capillaries and may have a slightly redish tint from time to time. It could indicate some irritation due to chemical exposure, bath soaps or laundry detergents, and is doing its job by protecting the glans. If it isn't sore there is proabably nothing to worry about.

3. I see no reason not to, it is one of our favorite toys. I suspect this is a cultural personal preference thing but really there is nothing inherently wrong with letting him play with it as much as he wants.

[veganf]

I think boys that play with their penises a lot generally retract earlier than those that don't...it's sure been that way for my boys...
#1 - has a very tight foreskin and never messes with it, so he's 5.5yo and not at all ready to retract.
#2 - starting around age 2.5 he pretty much lived with a hand down his diaper/pants...and that hasn't changed too much since he potty trained! And he is retractable.
#3 - still young, but his foreskin definitely retracts partway, though he only plays with it when his diaper is off, but boy can he stretch it!

I don't think there is anything wrong with a boy playing with his favorite part, LOL. However, I do ask my middle son to take his hand out of his pants now and then, and I try telling him that it's not polite to have his hand in his pants at preschool and other public places. But it's certainly not going to hurt him physically.

[BamaDude]

Originally Posted by wagamama

1. Is it normal to be fully retractable at this age?

It's normal for retraction to occur at any age.

Originally Posted by wagamama

2. It the redness a problem?

If it comes and goes like a red face after he's been running around, then no it isn't.

Originally Posted by wagamama

3. This is the really naive part -- is it ok to let ds play with his penis as much as he wants? I assumed so, but dh, who is uncircumcised, says that we shouldn't let ds play to much, b/c he could get his penis dirty or might hurt himself.

A. Keep DS's fingernails very short so he won't accidentally scratch himself.
B. You're probably already having to wash DS's hands about a hundred times a day as it is, so a couple more washes before "nakey-butt" time won't hurt.
C. I'd say let him play as much as he wants just before bath time, so that anything that does get on or in his foreskin will get washed away shortly afterwards.
D. The same as with his other toys, teach DS to put his foreskin back where it belongs when he's through playing with it.

[perspective]

Originally Posted by wagamama

My 2.5 year old DS is uncircumcised. Lately he has been playing with his penis a lot, and I noticed that the foreskin retracts all the way. It also looks red sometimes. I asked him if it hurts, but he said no. Anyway, I have three questions:

1. Is it normal to be fully retractable at this age?
2. It the redness a problem?
3. This is the really naive part -- is it ok to let ds play with his penis as much as he wants? I assumed so, but dh, who is uncircumcised, says that we shouldn't let dsplay to much, b/c he could get his penis dirty or might hurt himself. Ds is Japanese, BTW.

TIA!

Yeah, its perfectly fine, its not going to get dirty. Unlike a circumcised penis it actually has a protective cover! So you should be less worried.

Interesting, that your husband is Japanese and yet also circumcised. Is he older (40 or over?) because circumcision is not that common among the japanese.

[thixle]

1. It's normal to be retractable sometime before adulthood. Some (very few) are born retractable, some (very few) are never retractable.
2. Genitals are red/purple. So are the lips, inside the mouth, inner eyelids, and inside nostrils and ears. So I guess I should say internal organs are red/purple- and the glans and inner foreskin are internal organs.
3. Make sure his hands are realitively clean My DD has learned she has a "tickle spot" (what she calls it) and well, there is really no stopping her. I do ask her to go in the other room cause it's okay to do by yourself, but not in public or while watching tv with the family I don't see a kid actually hurting themselves, though.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Originally Posted by perspective

Yeah, its perfectly fine, its not going to get dirty. Unlike a circumcised penis it actually has a protective cover! So you should be less worried.

Interesting, that your husband is Japanese and yet also circumcised. Is he older (40 or over?) because circumcision is not that common among the japanese.

dh, who is uncircumcised

Think you misread her dh is not circed.

Like pp said make sure to keep the nails cut and wash the hands and all should be well. The glans can be a bright red/purple that is normal. The inner foreskin is often a bright red since it is like the inside of the mouch and very vascular.

[wagamama]

Thank you all!

Yes, I think it is a bit cultural -- Japanese people (or at least, my dh's family) are clean-freaks. It does make sense to have ds wash his hands frequently, though, and to keep his nails trimmed.