Itchy Willy - driving DS (7) mad!

[butterbean77]

Have taken DS to the docs with his itchy willy twice. First we were given hydrocortisone, then canesten, no relief whatsoever. Neither Dr seemed to know what was causing it and said everything looked normal! obviously its not, as he is driven bonkers by itching, especially at nightime. Anyone else's DS had anything similar, or can offer any suggestions?

Aw bless him. I'd look at changing soaps, detergents, etc. and don't take 'No' for an answer at the docs.

Is his foreskin retractable yet? (Don't force it!) See my reply to the message:
DS's (4) suddenly tight foreskin - in this current page of questions.

worms? does he have an itchy bum too?

My DS had this too (now aged 8), but he has had minor surgery on this area which could add to tightness and therefore itchiness. It was partic bad in bed. Much better now of its own accord. I use Oilatum in the bath for him as he has eczema anyway, but I think that may have helped.

my 7 year old had this recently too. It was more his scrotum and underneath his willy that were itchy than the end of it, also around his groin. He had a rash too - it looked really red.

We visited the doc at least 3 times I think!! Tried hydrocortisone first which helped with the itchiness and it the redness seemed to die down a bit, but as soon as we stopped the hydrocortisone it flared up again. Then the doc gave us combined hydrocortisone with antifungal and we used a whole tube of the stuff because every time we stopped it flared up again. Then we went back and she gave him some other hydrocortisone that could be used a bit longer with a different antifungal. etc etc.

It seemed to go on forever. Eventually she just said "Well, we have to just assume that it is eczema as we've tried everything else. Keep it moisturised, dont' use any harsh bath stuff etc, use the hydrocortisone when it flares up." etc etc. He doens't have any eczema anywhere else but DS2 does so I knew we were treating it right anyway.

I came away thinking "it's never going to go away on its own", but it just kind of did. It was a gradual thing.

You've got my sympathy, it's very difficult!!

Are there any white patches? There is an autoimmune condition called lichen sclerosis that causes unbearable itching; also tightening of the skin (vulva and clitoris in girls; head of penis in boys). Please mention it to your doctor: most GPs routinely diagnose it as thrush, and the damage cannot be undone, just halted.

There aren't any white patches, no. I might try adding some oilatum to bath though, that sounds like a good idea. Back to doctors on on Tuesday. Still itching :(