Uncomfortable erections in 6 yr old boy

[SusieFlo]

Hello, I don't want to type this into Google... just wondering if anyone has advice.

My 6 yr old seems to be going through a phase of having unwanted erections, which he says he finds uncomfortable or painful. He's had them on and off since he was a baby (usually first thing in the morning) and we've never made a thing of it as I know it's common in boys.

But lately he seems to be having them a little more often and complaining about it. My OH has suggested taking him to the doctor if they're uncomfortable, which we may do if it carries on, but I'd like to avoid turning it into a 'thing' that he feels is a big deal.

My son is not physically advanced for his age and as far as I know he has no sexual thoughts whatsoever, so I don't think early puberty is on the cards. Any thoughts welcome.

Watching closely as my 12 year old had (and still does sometimes) the same thing. He prefers to wear jogging bottoms as he says the seam at the crotch is better at not causing this.

Last year a went on a country walk and then to the pub for a lovely lunch. Lunch was ruined because he had a stiffy (as he so grumpily told us) and it lasted the whole of lunchtime and he couldn’t relax.

In the past in junior school he came home and sat grumpily on the sofa saying he same thing bad happened with some badly-fitting jeans “nearly the whole day” in school.

I was wondering whether it was normal too. Nothing sexual in it, obv. It didn’t seem to happen with DS1 and I know it can sometimes be a medical issue.