[newmommyagain...]

Hi all,
This is the best place for me to ask questions about my son because, sadly, I don't trust that his ped would know the answer! Anyway, I've noticed that my 26 month old's foreskin opening isn't as large as it used to be. Now, I don't ever retract it, but in the past had VERY GENTLY pulled it back to see how it was doing. I know I shouldn't even do that, but I did.

:
Today, while changing his diaper I noticed that the opening is smaller than it used to be. Could it be closing up? Could it be going through a phase? Should I just ignore it and see how he's doing when he's much older?
Thanks

 

[Kathryn]

Ignore it. I wouldn't check to see how he's doing later either. Do you check your daughters vagina to see how far it opens? Or how far back her clitoral hood retracts?

 

[Frankly Speaking]

It's not at all unusual for a boys foreskin opening to loosen and tighten before he becomes retractile. As a matter of fact, it can happen several times. He can even become partially retractile and become non-retractile before becoming fully retractile eventually. It's absolutely nothing to worry about, just part of growing up.

Frank

 

[Quirky]

As long as he can pee OK, the opening is plenty big! DO NOT check, and don't let your ped touch either.

 

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I will admit to having checked

: I didnt move it back much just flanged it a little. I havnt done this in a very long time tho since I have read up more on the subject(this happened before I knew the damage that could be caused inadvertantly) I told u this so u wouldnt feel to bad about checking. I guess it is just natural curiousity really since my ds is the only other male I have been around to see. Does that make me sound like a freak

I have noticed tho during diaper changes that it lookes tighter sometimes and looser sometimes. Like the pp's said very normal.

 

[pumpkinsmama]

I know some pp's said to ignore it, but I think it is a good idea to keep aware. A guy I work with just found out his son still wets the bed at 6 because his opening grew closed. (His circumscised son BTW). I would say that you should just make sure you have the sameish number of wet dipes before worrying. (Of course, I am new to this and don't have the knowledge or background as the pp's so take my post with a grain of salt)

 

[Quirky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkinsmama I know some pp's said to ignore it, but I think it is a good idea to keep aware. A guy I work with just found out his son still wets the bed at 6 because his opening grew closed. (His circumscised son BTW). I would say that you should just make sure you have the sameish number of wet dipes before worrying. (Of course, I am new to this and don't have the knowledge or background as the pp's so take my post with a grain of salt)

The reason this happened to the circed boy is because of a complication of his circumcision known as meatal stenosis. Meatal stenosis occurs when the irritation of the glans due to its exposure after circ causes the meatus (i.e. the urethral opening) to narrow. Meatal stenosis is exclusively a complication of circumcision and occurs in upwards of 10% of circed boys.

A meatotomy, or cutting open of the opening to the urethra, is the treatment for meatal stenosis.

http://www.emedicine.com/PED/topic2356.htm

Quote:

Background: Genital disorders are commonly encountered in the office of the primary care physician. Meatal stenosis is a relatively common acquired condition occurring in 9-10% of males who are circumcised. This disorder is characterized by an upward deflected, difficult-to-aim urinary stream and, occasionally, dysuria and urgent, frequent, and prolonged urination. Surgical meatotomy is curative. Pathophysiology: After circumcision, a child who is not toilet trained persistently exposes the meatus to urine, resulting in inflammation (ammoniacal dermatitis) and mechanical trauma as the meatus rubs against a wet diaper. This causes the loss of the delicate epithelial lining of the distal urethra. This loss may result in adherence of the epithelial lining at the ventral side, leaving a pinpoint orifice at the tip of the glans. Because this condition is exceedingly rare in children who are not circumcised, circumcision is believed to be the most important causative factor of meatal stenosis. Another hypothetical cause of this condition is ischemia due to damage to the frenular artery during circumcision, resulting in poor blood supply to the meatus and subsequent stenosis.