Uncircumcised toddler--what's normal?
Ok, my son has an unusually tight foreskin--he had one infection (foreskin) about six weeks ago. Now I'm starting to second-guess myself and question what might be normal for him and what is normal in general. Last week he had a stomach bug (vomiting and diarrhea). It cleared in a day, but the diarhea lasted a while and he ended up getting a pretty good rash and his foreskin was a little bothered too. On Saturday morning he had a little discharge from his penis. It was yellowish-orange. There was a small amount in two diapers and then it was gone. I decided to watch and wait and there wasn't any more. I took him to the doctor today because I just thought it looked a little red and his urine smelled a little funny (he's 13 months old--it's not like I can ask him if it hurts or not). The doc did a urinalysis to check for a uti and it was negative. So, the question I'm trying to get to--is a little discharge like this normal every once in a while? Is it ok for the tip of his foreskin to look a little red? His father is military and unable to be here right now to offer advice so I'm trying to figure this out on my own. We have an appointment with a urologist next week also.
Answers:
The discharge is a little unusual, but it seems to have cleared up.
The foreskin tip turning red means it is fighting something, and is slightly inflammed. A little bit of desitin, or any diaper cream with zinc oxide, will typically clear it right up.
Please be careful, if you are in the US. Don't let anyone try and retract his penis, even if it is the doctor. This can tear where the foreskin is still joined to the head, and allow infection in...when the two are joined by nature in an infant, to keep infection out. This is the cause of most tight foreskins...premature retraction. Good luck with the little guy.
Answers:
The foreskin separates from the head on its own schedule. That can be anywhere from birth to puberty, or beyond. There is no way to tell if a baby his age has a tight foreskin. Anybody who is calling it tight this early in the game, well, that's the way it was designed to be.
Answers:
Took him to the urologist today and we scheduled a circumcision. Poor little guy. At least we gave this a shot I guess. She said the hole was almost not large enough for the urine to come out and stretching it with cortisone cream might work, but she wasn't overly optimistic. He's starting to get really traumitized by people poking at his penis and I don't want to go through weeks of cream, stretching, etc. to find out he needs the surgery anyway. We live in Europe so I know the doctor is well informed. In the meantime she advised chammomile bath soaks twice a day. I'll try the diaper cream too. Thanks.
Answers:
I'd still get a second opinion, especially if you're in Britain.
Best of luck with him.
Answers:
The discharge is a little unusual, but it seems to have cleared up.
The foreskin tip turning red means it is fighting something, and is slightly inflammed. A little bit of desitin, or any diaper cream with zinc oxide, will typically clear it right up.
Please be careful, if you are in the US. Don't let anyone try and retract his penis, even if it is the doctor. This can tear where the foreskin is still joined to the head, and allow infection in...when the two are joined by nature in an infant, to keep infection out. This is the cause of most tight foreskins...premature retraction. Good luck with the little guy.
Answers:
The foreskin separates from the head on its own schedule. That can be anywhere from birth to puberty, or beyond. There is no way to tell if a baby his age has a tight foreskin. Anybody who is calling it tight this early in the game, well, that's the way it was designed to be.
Answers:
Took him to the urologist today and we scheduled a circumcision. Poor little guy. At least we gave this a shot I guess. She said the hole was almost not large enough for the urine to come out and stretching it with cortisone cream might work, but she wasn't overly optimistic. He's starting to get really traumitized by people poking at his penis and I don't want to go through weeks of cream, stretching, etc. to find out he needs the surgery anyway. We live in Europe so I know the doctor is well informed. In the meantime she advised chammomile bath soaks twice a day. I'll try the diaper cream too. Thanks.
Answers:
I'd still get a second opinion, especially if you're in Britain.
Best of luck with him.