Balanitis - toddler iin agony and not improving

[dycey]

Took ds (nearly 2) to paediatric a and e on Saturday as he was in pain when urinating and did tiny frequent dribbles.

Took urine sample and it is due back today to tell us if he has a uti. The doc suspects not because he had just finished a course of amoxicillin for a chest infection. She thinks it is balanitis and if he drinks a lot it will go of it own accord.

I will hear final test results this afternoon but I am concerned because he is in a lot of pain when he tries to pee. It hasn't got better since Saturday night. In fact, he is now waking at night screaming which he wasn't doing on Saturday night.

Any experience of how to soothe him? And is it right not to treat balanitis? Not questioning really but it is hard to sit by and watch your child in such pain and not be sure when it will improve.

take him back this afternoon as an urgent appointment.

He should not be getting worse and he should not still be in pain.

I hope you can get him seen really soon x

When ds had it, he was given antibiotics. It was awful seeing the pain he was in. Allow him as much nappy free time as poss too. Definitely take him back to docs.

I'd take him back to GP or out of hours docs, DS had this recently he was given some cream to start with but that didn't seem to work so he was then given anti-biotics.

If he's in that much pain it needs treating urgently. I'd phone GP now and see if they can see him this afternoon.

Def take him back to drs.

Also DS has had this several times over the last couple of years and I swear by boots antispetic wound wash. It is a very mildly antiseptic spray and doesn't sting but seems to clear up any localised infection very quickly. It may not do the trick now but at the first sign of inflamation or complaint of sorness it has always done teh trick.

Thank you all. I rang the department who dealt with us and they said to start him on the anti b straight away. They also said I should have been instructed to do so on Saturday - not wait.

Massively relieved. Upset too. Didn't need to see him enduring all that pain.

On your experiences, how quickly do the anti bs touch the pain? Will I be able to go to work tomorrow morning? At the moment I don't think I could leave him.

I found they started to kick in by the 3rd dose. So glad your ds getting treatment now; I would be fuming if I were you, at the advice you were given on Saturday.

Antibiotics tend to kick in very quickly with this sort of thing. If they are the three times a day ones and depending on whether they need to be taken with food you might be able to get three doses in him (now bedtime and 10 ish) in which case I would expect an enormous improvement by the morning.
Hopefully he will be feeling much better soon.

Thanks all. Improvement already by thus evening. He had long pee in bath without screaming just a few "owes!". Given second dose at bedtime so third on wake up and he should be fit to leave.

Thank god for antibiotics!

Thank you all for help. He'd still be screaming in agony without your advice.

dycey, if you search my name and balanitis on here you'll find several threads where I talk about the best way of avoiding balanitis.

bath every night, and GENTLY WITHOUT PULLING THE FORESKIN BACK FURTHER THAN IT WILL GO (the shouty caps are for the inevitable 5 posts that will come next saying that you shouldn't do that, yes that's right, you shouldn't) pull back and swish in water.

no more balanitis.

no one tells you that, but it may end up avoiding your ds a circumcision if it is recurring.

it's also good hygiene. ds7 doesn't it himself now.

Just wondering what anyone thinks - he has had 6 doses of antibiotic now but although it is Less painful, it still hurts him and his penis balloons up when he pees.

Is this normal? Should the antibiotics be taking more effect? Or should I wait 3 days til I take him back to see a doctor?

bump

If this never happened before the infection (in which case too tight foreskin) - then it could be a) swelling caused by inflammation making it tight, b) scarring (much less likely) because of ongoing frequent infections.

It's his first infection with balanitis - will the inflammation go down with time?

It should do . DGS had it twice, also did balooning thing and screamed when he wee'd. The first time he had abx which he hated, also sencond time when he vomited up constantly so DD got antibiotic cream from GP and did it a treat. Never had it since and now no problems weeing. Boy did he scream

DN was eventually circumcised at 3.5 after repeat bladder and UT infections and has been absolutely fine since. You may wish to consider this with his paediatrician.

Can you let him pee in the bath for a while? Apparently it's a lot less sore that way.

Thanks it seems to be easing up at last! Phew. Horrible thing isn't it?

Hi dycey, my DS is on his fifth bout of balanitis in the last couple of months and the only thing that works is antibiotic ointment (chloramphenicol). The GP I spoke to this morning said if we try this time and it doesn't clear it up, he will refer for a possible circumcision. It is so uncomfortable for them and for my DS it is back within days if I don't apply the ointment. It's difficult as we only have a shower so we don't have that opportunity for a nice long soak. sophable that is really interesting though I wonder if that would work under the stream of a shower or whether that would be too uncomfortable?

bondgirl honestly try it...sink??? washing up bowl???

once he is through this bout, or even once it's gone down a bit, pull back the foreskin gently only as far (or little) as it already goes no further (obviously!!!), then swish around in the water. do it every day.

promise you it will work.

really hope it does.

keep me posted.

x