Question about foreskin....

[flipflopson5thavenue]

DS1 is 6.5yo and for last couple years has been gently pulling his foreskin in the bath to clean it. Suddenly over last few days he’s started saying he can’t ger it back anymore and that it hurts. No redness or any visible issues. He doesn’t complain about pain or discomfort any other time. No problem doing a wee etc.
Should I take him to see the doc?
Part of me wonders if it’s a stubborn issue or that he just doesn’t want me talking to him about it. I sort of leave him alone in the bath and don’t hover over him or anything but just remind him to do it. I’ve asked him to show me what he means when he says he can’t do it and really he can barely pull it back at all.
Not sure if this is in realms of normal and to just leave him/it alone? There seems to be nothing wrong to look at but it is a change so I’m guessing I’ll take him.
Just wondering what others’ experience has been

[CaptainKirksSpookyghost]

He shouldn't be pulling it back to clean it.
This doesn't need to be done until he's hit puberty.

[flipflopson5thavenue]

Oh really?? I read on here that it’s fine to do that...

[CaptainKirksSpookyghost]

Well it doens't need to be done yet and can cause damage, mostly as it's sometimes still attached until about 7 or 8.

[flipflopson5thavenue]

It’s just that he could do it, and had been doing it til now, but now he seems not to be able to which is what I thought was unusual.
Just to add that he does this all himself and ‘discovered’ it himself - I’ve never done it TO him and have never told him to pull it back when he couldn’t

[lovely36]

This was one of the questions I asked my midwife when my son was born as I had absolutely no knowledge of the male hygiene. I asked her about the foreskin and if it needed to be cleaned?? Or left alone and she told me that it shouldn't be touched until he hits puberty. She almost looked shocked that I even asked but I think it's a question a lot of moms have. How are we suppose to know. Anyway, she told me to leave it alone and not try to pull it back to clean because it wouldn't be able to be pulled back anyway until puberty when he begins to "experiment" with his body. So I'm gonna do that. I initially asked because I noticed the tip was constantly red and look very irritated. She told me it was possibly a rash from the nappy but he's one now and it still always looks like that and something very swollen. Doesn't seem right and I've also asked the doctor and she told me the same thing. So I guess I'll leave it at that, although it doesn't look right to me 🤷🏽‍♀️ but I'm taking their advice.

[flipflopson5thavenue]

I think it right that you’re supposed to leave it alone and by the time it retracts they’ve usually worked it out for themselves. But I think it can happen from about 6/7 yo or not until they hit puberty. I think they discover their willies long before puberty

[CaptainKirksSpookyghost]

Yeah, Now you have your answer you might want to stop bumping this as there's a certain troll who likes this kind of thing.