To ask if your son has ever had

[peachesandcreamdream]

Balanitis?

I put my DS5 in the bath today and I noticed the end of his penis was quite red. He said it's not that sore and he seems to be urinating fine.

Have any MNetters had a son with this? I'm diagnosing from Dr Google but the symptoms seem to fit.

[GreatFuckability]

yes my son has had it a couple of times when he was little. his foreskin was very tight and would balloon when he weed so it used to get sore and infected occasionally. we got cream from the GP, i think.

[OohhThatsMe]

Yes, my son had that and had to be circumcised when he was about four years old.

[bettybyebye]

Yes my DS had it when he was 2.5, went to change his nappy and his penis was all swollen and bright red - it really freaked me out! Got him an ooh app (was a Sunday) and he got some cream and antibiotics for it. It had noticeably improved within a day and was totally gone in a few days. I think if it's not too bad they will prescribe just the cream. Definitely worth a gp/ooh visit

[MyGiddyUncle]

Not all of the symptoms fit but ds2 (6) has had a sore, red tip of the penis quite a few times. No pain on weeing but uncomfortable if he pulls his foreskin back.

We've been to the GP a couple of times who ummed and ahhed and said 'Oh yes it's definitely a bit inflamed/red/sore...might be thrush' and then given cream.

It clears up in a few days with or without the thrush cream so I don't think it's actually thrush or anything 'diagnosable'. I think it's a sign of a little boy who touches his willy too often (with muddy/grubby hands) and plays with his foreskin a bit roughly.

[Neoneon]

Yes. Repeatedly and pus infections. Circumcised at 4/5?

[MoonDuke]

Yes. Washing it in antiseptic cleared it up

[Redbookworm]

Yes my son had quite a few infections and had antibiotics which cleared it up but he did have a circumcision in July as infections were increasing. He is 12.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Yes my eldest had a couple of bouts at 2/3. One GP said he would need to be circumcised, another suggested we encourage him to gently pull back his foreskin in the bath. We followed the second ones advice and he has been fine.

[Redbookworm]

It was due to a tight foreskin, not fiddling with grubby hands 😀

[123bananas]

Yes resolved with fucidin cream from the GP.

[sonlypuppyfat]

DS also had to be circumcised when he was 6 , he was on antibiotics all the time it was awful. He's had no problems since

[TheCaptainsMum]

DS had it at about 16 months old. After a nap, he did a wee (I could hear it in his nappy!) and then he started to sob. He cried for half an hour. In the hour between immediately changing him to a fresh nappy and showing the gp his penis at an emergency appointment, his foreskin had changed from a bit pink to very pink and swollen. He was on liquid antibiotics for a week. So far, no relapse.

I would advise seeing a health professional ASAP.

[peachesandcreamdream]

It has just gone a bit red it no swelling. It doesn't look quite right though. I'll phone OOH in the mormind and get it looked at

[chipsandgin]

Has happened to both of mine when they are small, not at all uncommon and nothing to worry about if that is what it is - docs prescribed fucidin cream and it was fine & soon forgotten.

[chipsandgin]

'were' small (pedant here!)

[abbsismyhero]

yes and he also had a couple of incidents where he got his tip stuck in the holes in the nappy and as i pulled the nappy off OUCH!

he didn't need to be circumcised in the end it stopped when he was potty trained

[ZippyNeedsFeeding]

My oldest son had a similar problem when he was about 5 - some soreness and a little swelling but no pain on urination. Turned out to be an injury. We told him not to pull it quite so hard and maybe let it have a little rest until it got better and it was fine.

[ToothPowder]

My son has had it twice (he's now 4) but both times he was in such pain when he urinated that he was retaining urine and refusing to wee for up to 48 hours at a time. Both times it happened in remote holiday destinations.

[FleurThomas]

Baby brother got that a number of times before foreskin swelled up and hurt him severely whenever he needed to pee. He needed to have a circumcision.

[JustGetOverIt]

Yeah they both did.

Salt water fixed it.

[NC1nightstand]

Yes my son has it now. The Dr said it's very common and prescribed cream and antibiotics. He was also in pain when weeing bless him. Hope your ds feels better soon.

[TeriyakiStirfry]

My DP had it as a grown up, ended up needing a circumcision after Fucidin didn't work.

[Bertucci]

Yes! But he didn't tell us until it was very bad (he was about 10).

Please get to the gp asap just in case it worsens.

It has caused myriad problems for my ds which may have been avoided had he seen a gp at the outset.

[jamdonut]

Yes, my eldest used to get it from time to time, as a boy, and we had cream /antibiotics from the doctor's.
When he was 20, he needed a circumcision, as his foreskin was apparently very tight, and wouldn't retract properly, which was painful.

He's fine now.

[TowerRavenSeven]

Yes, ds was 8 and we were on holiday! Thank heavens my friend's dr. Could see him. They gave him cream - it was from tight foreskin and since so many people here in the US circumcise the Dr.s were freaked out too, but the cream worked.

A few years later he was given another cream to thin the foreskin, apparently it worked, he's 15 now and I haven't asked in a few years!