Five year old’s vulva “stings” very easily

[feesh]

My daughter quite often complains that her vulva is stinging, such as if shampoo or shower gel gets into the area during a shower (we only use water down there because she can’t bear anything else), or when we go swimming - we went in the sea yesterday and she was crying in pain until I got her in the shower to wash the salt water off.

She is always having a fiddle down there, I don’t know if that’s relevant or not though! She doesn’t complain of any itchiness in general though, and it only ever comes up as an issue when something gets into the area which makes it sting.

She did have something (thrush?) a few months ago, which we saw the GP about, but she wouldn’t consent to an examination and the GP rightly didn’t push it, so we were given Canesten and sent away. They gave me a kit to take a swab at home, but she freaked out so I couldn’t do it.

Do you think this could be a thrush thing? Or something else? Or nothing to worry about at all (maybe just sensitive skin)? I have no idea how to handle it.

Oh and I’ve suggested to her that we see a doctor about it, but she’s not great with doctors and the very idea of it is enough for her to burst into tears.

My DD was like this. From about 5 to 8

Its stopped now.

I just used sudocrem and made sure she drank lots of water. I also used a feminine wash for her vulva rather than soap.

It's horrible when they are upset about it :(

My dd often has this from about 5 - 7/8 yrs. often it was at night time.

A few times it turned out she had worms that we treated but the 'stinging' carried on. It wasn't every night but it was often. Sometimes sudocream would work but often not.

Eventually I took her to the GP. The GP did take a sample to check for an infection and prescribed something (I'm sorry I can't remember what as dd is 13 now! Maybe penicillin or maybe an anti-histamine?). GP mainly said dd had got herself into an itch-scratch cycle.
She wore knickers in bed from then on and afterwards it just seemed to go.

Definitely worth a trip to the GP.

It’s threadworms.

I know

You can get tablets from Boots or other pharmacies, you don’t need to go to the gp.

My daughter (now an ancient 15) had this exact issue on and off as a small child until some kind person on here suggested this was the issue. Within 3 days the itching stopped.

Trust me. It will be worms.

We often treated threadworms but she still itched even after treatment.

DN had this when she was about 5, She didn’t want to see the Dr and ended up with a Uti that hospitalised her, it was minor and lingering for a long time.
I think you should explain to her that whilst we don’t always have to consent to people seeing our bodies, and we can always say no to people seeing us sometimes drs or nurses can help. It might not be able to get better without help.
Additionally as she’s five and you are her parent, if you feel like it’s for the best you can consent to an examination on her part.
Hope she feels better soon

My DD has similar. Dr Google told mope it was from not wiping properly and was very common I. You g girls. When I happened, I got a wet flannel and got her to wash herself. She also put on her own sodocreme.

Bless her. How old is she?

Have you considred Lichen Sclerosis?

It often isn't considered in young girls and is misdiagnosed frequently, often as thrush.

Symptoms include itching, soreness/stinging, visible symptoms (white patches) and more, but often girls/women don't have all of the symptoms, so don't rule it out if she's not itchy. However the touching herself frequently might suggest she's uncomfortable down there.

It's treated with steroid cream and needs to be managed well to stop it becoming severe.

I'd speak to her (depending on her age) about the importance of going back to the GP and maybe look into a female GP with a good awarenes of women's health/dermatology.

Hope you get it sorted, OP.

Sorry, just seen in the title that she's 5! I would still consider LS.

I wanted to mention LS too, I live with this condition.
Also you really need to overcome her objection to bring examined. You are the parent and of course you will reassure her there is nothing to be frightened of but don't put the actual decision in her hands , having that responsibility doesn't help her , she needs you to decide for her, the same way you decide she brushes her teeth everyday.

If she is always having a fiddle, maybe she has scratched skin. Even a tiny cut can sting liker buggery, and will start of a vicious circle

I second lack of hygiene, bad wiping.
teach her (show her on teddy or doll) to wipe front to back.
wash bottom every day (flannel + warm water if you don't usually shower everyday)
change pants mornings and evenings and wash pants at 60 degrees minimum.
nivea cream/sudocream soothes.

encourage her to drink a lot.

There is a health section.

Have you treated her for threadworms?

Both my dds get this GP says its very common in young girls 4-8, its not wiping properly, either not wiping front to back or wiping too hard. Canestan or Daktacort will have it away in a day or two.

www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Vulvovaginitis/

Vulvovaginitis. Very very common, will settle after puberty (!) but there’s some suggestions in the link. It occurs cos the vaginal pH is higher than optimal prior to puberty. Thrush is rare before puberty as the Candida thrives on oestrogen.

I have lichen planus rather than LS, it causes small splits/tiny cuts

I would try and rule out thrush and infection. If you had a second swab do you think swabbing her hand, leg, mouth etc would help her see that it doesn’t hurt to get a sample and then use the second swab to get the real results

Also would use a gentle barrier cream before doing anything like swimming in the sea

Thanks everyone, some very helpful suggestions here. I’ll treat her (and her brothers?) for threadworms.

The GP was very reluctant to push her into an examination, so it was more the GP’s decision rather than hers. I will have a chat with her and try and take her back again.

Do you think my gynaecologist would see her? I’m not in the UK so can access whatever specialists I like at any time. Or maybe it would be more of a paediatrician?

Will look up the other suggestions, thank you.

I’ll have a chat with her again about wiping. She’s not great at it, although if she poos at home I try and supervise. And will instigate a nightly wash.

Oh and she’s still in night nappies, not sure if that’s relevant or not.

Definitely yes treat her brothers - and you too! Blanket household treatment.

if she's still wet st night it will certainly affect her skin.

Could be she’s scratched herself and keeps itching and rescratching. If she’s not wiping properly, that will make it worse.

Gentle barrier cream, gentle drying, should heal up.

Could you have a quick look?

I remember soap stinging a lot more down there when I was little presumably because I was being washed by someone else? It doesn’t sting now.

If she’s always fiddling then I’d imagine she still has some lingering thrush or maybe even just a sore scratch.

My 6 year old has been like this since she was about 4. Sorry to ask but does she wipe properly? We were also given a thrush diagnosis when she was 4. Now she's older she refuses to be examined so last time she complained of itching/stinging the nurse prescribed canasten but I didn't use it as she suddenly started to get better. She's been fine since until a few nights ago when SORRY TMI WARNING!!! she complained again and I realised the next morning she'd been for a poo and hadn't wiped. So now it's back to me wiping for her and I'm assuming this has been the root cause of her symptoms all this time.