what does this mean - boys and their tackle?

[LeBFG]

I come from a girl dominated family and don't really understand boys bits....anyway.

DS is 19mo and has recently started to grab at his crotch making noises like he's uncomfortable - he's quite insistant. Sometimes, he does this when he's had a poo, so I think, ah, he's telling me he wants a change. However, he came back from the CM who just changed his nappy, we get home and he's grabbing and making his noise again. So I quickly take a look and see he has an erection. Other than that, his willy doesn't look red.

SO I'm not sure what's going on: is he gearing up for potty training (telling me when he's had a wee/poo), is he pleasuring himself, or, the one I fear, is it some kind of infection? What sort of symptoms would an infection have? He has no temperature and no apparent redness.

My instinct would say that he's discovered his willy can be interesting/produce nice sensations. However, a urine infection may not produce redness there, and they can be hard to spot in a non-verbal, non-potty trained child - I was convinced my DS2 had one about that age, he was in obvious distress for a few days but didn't have a temperature or any other symptoms. I'd make sure he gets plenty to drink and that he is producing lots of wet nappies, just to rule out an infection or ease the symptoms if it is one, if it gets worse take him to the GP.

is his pee particularly strong smelling at the moment - that could indicate an infection. Probably just playing though and maybe he forgets about it until he has just peed and then remembers?

He is drinking plenty - but I'll encourge him to drink more and see if he'll take it. Can you have a UTI without an infection? The pee doesn't strike me as being unusually smelly. I was wondering about another sort of willy irritation - if they exist. Does itchy willy syndrome exist ???

I have 3 boys. They all 'found' their willy at some point. However, you wonder if it could be itchy willy syndrome - the answer is yes, it could be thrush? is there any discharge from his willy (won't necessarily be much)

I'll have another look when DS gets up from his nap, but I've not noticed anything weeping. He found his willy ages ago but only at nappy changes. This pulling at his nappy is a new development and has me scratching my head .

My 2.10 y.o. grabs at his a lot, and complains that it's big and wants me to make it go small again / make it go away / get rid of it. He gets really cross about it - sometimes quite upset. He's been like that for months.

Thanks for the insight AngelDog. I've had a good look at change time and I'm sure his willy in not infected in any way. I do panick a bit with illness (though DS is hardly ever ill). I don't want to miss anything. I think he's finding it all a bit uncomfortable tbh. He definately sounds like he's complaining at me!

little boys willies often stick up just before they need to wee - very common if they are in nappies, also uncomfortable as it gets squashed int he nappy - would explain your ds symptoms!

Have you pulled his foreskin back to check it's not infected where the eye can't see?

The erection is from needing a wee from my experience. Obviously that will stop as he gets older.

Can't say much beyond that except to check for infection that isn't obvious, like thrush.

He's been distracted over the last day or so by a cough and so no more complaining. I've checked pretty well but I'm not a doctor and don't know the 'normal' range - the tip always looks more red that the red. But I don't think I can see any change per se. If it restarts and carries on, I'll see the doc.

He was out of nappies for a few hours the other day and it looked like it was sticking up before he wanted a pee, so I can see this might be uncomfortable for him. He's recently got finickity about minor things, for instance, insisting I clean his hands as soon as they get dirty. Perhaps this is just a manifestation of his increasing self-awareness?

DS is 2.10 - for at least the last year he has enjoyed 'discovering' his penis! However, when it goes big he doesn't like it one bit and asks me to make it small again! I guess it must be uncomfortable to a degree ?

I have taken to telling him that if he doesn't like it big he should leave it alone