DS circumcision

[Powertothepetal]

I just want to get some opinions before I try and get a GP appointment for DS, appointments are hard to get because of Corona so if it isn’t necessary I don’t want to take a slot from someone else.

So, DH had severe Phimosis (non retracting foreskin) and had to be circumcised.
DS is almost 5 and the past few days has been saying his willy hurts after going for a wee.
His foreskin doesn’t retract at all much really and the small bit you can expose when you push it down is a sort of blue/purple colour.

I’ve also noticed his foreskin seems to ‘balloon’ when weeing but unsure if that is normal for men?
For the foreskin to swell when weeing?

I want to take him to the GP but I don’t want to look an idiot if what I’m describing is actually normal??
Nor do I want to take a slot from someone really Ill as appointments are hard to get at the moment.

So, just looking for some opinions really as to if it sounds normal or not before I get an appointment

DS had a similar condition. I had taken him to see a paediatrician in my husband’s home town in Spain as he had a bad cough, which was bronchitis. The doctor gave him a full check over, queried if his foreskin ballooned when peeing which I confirmed.

We were given a cream to massage into the foreskin for a minute twice a day before our next visit, when we went back the doctor checked him and the foreskin then retracted and he had no further issues,

It may not need a circumcision, but you wouldn’t be wasting an appointment

Wrt 'blue colour' without going into great detail, year it can be normal.

**yes not year

In the not too distant past ballooning would have been considered a reason for a circumscision and you may well meet parents of older boys/ adults who were circumcised for exactly these reasons.
However, nowadays balloooning is generally seen as a normal part of the natural process by which the foreskin separates from the glans underneath. It's also now recognised that the previous belief that a circumcision is needed if the foreskin doesnt retract by some arbitrary age is wrong, so fwr fewer medical circumcisions are being carried out nowadays. A lot of these kind of issues resolve themselves in time without surgery.
However, as your son is experiencing pain it is very sensible to see your GP and he may need to be seen by a urologist. If in doubt, always seek professional advice and definitely don't feel giilty about making any appointment for a child who is in pain, whatever the reason.

If a circumcision is suggested (which I don’t think is likely) look up conservative treatments first, before making a decision that will permanently affect your 5 year old son’s future adult life. For example circumcision removes 70% of the nerve endings in the penis, and entirely removes the special nerves that enable a man to control orgasm speed. It also exposes the ridge, which drags moisture out of the recipient partner and causes pain for them.

What a lot of dangerous rubbish 😡 OP, from experience I can tell you there are people whose sole aim in life seems to be to go on the internet warning against the evils of circumcision, for their own extremely prejudiced reasons. I can see you've already challenged that poster but in case others aren't aware, there are people out there with an agenda.

Always do what is in the interests of your DC's health!

@Powertothepetal

You shouldn't be trying to retract his foreskin I have never forced it or anything, just that it’s clear when you touch it it will only barely go back exposing a tiny bit of blue glans.

And I didn’t even try until he said it was painful and DH immediately wondered if he had the same condition as him.

For example circumcision removes 70% of the nerve endings in the penis, and entirely removes the special nerves that enable a man to control orgasm speed. It also exposes the ridge, which drags moisture out of the recipient partner and causes pain for them. Many men resent their parents for doing it to them (then of course, many men don’t)
This is incredibly unhelpful.
DHs circumcision was needed and if DS needs the operation for the same reason it’s really insensitive to go off on a rant about how inhumane it is when it is hardly something we can help.

When did I rant and say it was “inhumane”? Most people are unaware of the functions of foreskins and the side effects of removing it. Sharing facts is not unhelpful.

Also suggesting looking into alternative solutions for circumcision is not “insensitive”. (Sometimes steroid creams can be used). It is a permanent decision you would be making on his behalf on his most intimate body part. You can never uncircumcise someone, so ^if ^possible it should be avoided or left to his choice when he’s older. Obviously, sometimes it’s a medical necessity.

Taking my comment personally is your choice. If I were in your position I’d rather be pointed towards all information to make an informed decision.

If a circumcision is suggested (which I don’t think is likely) look up conservative treatments first, before making a decision that will permanently affect your 5 year old son’s future adult life. For example circumcision removes 70% of the nerve endings in the penis, and entirely removes the special nerves that enable a man to control orgasm speed. It also exposes the ridge, which drags moisture out of the recipient partner and causes pain for them

Good Lord what a load of utter rubbish

@baroqueandblue

If a circumcision is suggested (which I don’t think is likely) look up conservative treatments first, before making a decision that will permanently affect your 5 year old son’s future adult life. For example circumcision removes 70% of the nerve endings in the penis, and entirely removes the special nerves that enable a man to control orgasm speed. It also exposes the ridge, which drags moisture out of the recipient partner and causes pain for them.

What a lot of dangerous rubbish 😡 OP, from experience I can tell you there are people whose sole aim in life seems to be to go on the internet warning against the evils of circumcision, for their own extremely prejudiced reasons. I can see you've already challenged that poster but in case others aren't aware, there are people out there with an agenda.

Always do what is in the interests of your DC's health!

Can you disprove anything I said? I don’t think so.

I don’t have an agenda.

My DH had this and when it started happening with my DS at about age 5 the GP prescribed a steroid which stretched the foreskin and meant he was able to avoid circumcision.

The steroid cream sorted everything in a few weeks.

Definitely get an appointment.

@Copium the OP didn't ask for your opinion on circumscision, so don't offer it!

My son has similar, and when he weed the wee "sprayed". He was circumcised as was fine after a few days.

DHs circumcision was needed and if DS needs the operation for the same reason it’s really insensitive to go off on a rant about how inhumane it is when it is hardly something we can help

Circumcision is rarely needed for phimosis, other operations are possible, but certainly in the past circumcision was the preferred medical route as it was seen as a one shot fix, where as other surgery to remove the adhesions can just lead to more surgery.

As someone who was in that position, I am certainly annoyed and disappointed by the treatment options I was given knowing what I know now, sadly the internet wasn't available to inform me of the choices. Please go circumcision as a last resort.

However that's for much later, post puberty, the pain etc. now needs to see a doctor.

Sending solidarity op, my 4yr old is having issues with his penis at the mo, I think a mild case of balanitis but we are on week 5 I think of trying to treat it with caneston cream, 2 weeks of steroid cream finished last week so it's now getting worse again. It wakes him multiple times a night. I'm ringing the doctors tomorrow to take him in. I didn't think it was worth it before but it's been going on so long now I want them to check everything is as it should be. Dh is almost as clueless as me about what's normal, for good reasons that I won't explain on mn.

Indecisive lurcher-

taking him to go is good. If gp is unsure of what it is, ask for paediatrics referral. We had a issue with redness and some flaky skin on penis and had tried 2 anti fungals. I think paediatrician thought it was eczema. Moisturization and stopping antifungals helped. I’m not saying your son has eczema, just that sometimes asking for paediatrics can help if gp has tried different things and still getting problems.