DD (3.5) has smelly vulva, but...

[winnybella]

...there is no discharge, vagina looks fine.

She is not very good with wiping and I cannot be sure that she's doing it properly (or at all) at preschool. She often has red labia and I put it down to urine causing irritation. Bepanthen usually sorts it out.

But there is a smell and she has her hands in her knickers all the time and then it's on her hands, hair, ugh. Sort of musty smell.She had bath yesterday and today after school the smell was there again.

So I was wondering whether it's normal given her imperfect/lack of wiping or should I take her to a doctor?

TIA

With the hands in her knickers thing, do you think she may have worms ?

Vaginal thrush ? That doesn't always have a discharge. Or maybe a UTI ? I would see the doc.

Thanks, AF. No itching, though, doesn't trush cause that?
UTI- hmm, no , I don't think so, she's peeing ok and no fever etc.
Worms

Right, the thing to do with worms is to suddenly shine a torch on them, yes? Will do that now, thanks.

it could be anything and you need to get her to the doctors to have a look.

if she wasn't itching, she wouldn't have her hands in her knickers all the time

you don't need to see her scratch for her to be itching IYSWIM

worms can cause itching of the front and back passages, sorry

I dont know AF, DD went through a fiddling phase and it wasnt because of itching :)

there is that

but smelly, itchy, red

something is amiss

yes def needs to go to docs

Definitely go to the GP.

Also, sometimes UTIs seemingly have few/no symptoms.

Ok, so I went and shone the torch and didn't see any worms

Also, I have wiped her with wet flannel tonight and had a sniff right now and it's fine.

Thanks everyone, I'll try wiping/baths morning and evening plus enforce better wiping habit and if it's still there in a few days I'll make an appt with a doctor.

SchroSaw- she had one UTI few months ago and it was v.dramatic, fever, blood in urine etc, but yes, I'll keep it in mind, thanks.

Sorry if it came across wrong. I only really discovered you could get them with practically no symptoms last week after being told by my GP I have one.

Hope you get to the bottom of it. :)

i bet worms....they are difficult to spot at the best of times but with little girls they can get into the vagina.

id nip to doctors.

its hard at preschool to stop them picking these things up.

You don't use scented baby wipes on her, do you winny ?

I would be tempted to give her the worms meds anyway

They are rife at this age, I am afraid

No, not at all Makes sense to consider all possibilities, I'm sure the doc will test her for it if it'll become clear that it's not the hygiene issue.

That was to Schro

Oh, ok. But wouldn't I have seen them now?

No, no wipes.

Hmm, maybe better to get her seen.

the best way to check for worms is in the poo, or after wiping bum after having one

they wave at you ever-so friendly, like

Oh sweet Jesus

Ok, will do that, thanks.

Have you just woke her up to shine a torch up her to look for worms?

im betting worms - i had no idea kids could get them until mine went to nursery. keep her nails short and scrubbed.
wash underwear and bedding at high temps and disinfect door handles etc etc. they are a bugger to get rid of - and easily passed around family members too. just like those other little darlings - nits.

im sure none of these were around when i was at school!

a dose of the meds wouldnt hurt if you cant be sure - but if you give the meds (usually just one chewable tablet and another a week later) and the symptoms stop then you have your culprit!

heh, you have some interesting years ahead

just wait until you are catching nits and worms for your own kids

UTI's don't all present like that either.

If it's a 'wiping' problem she will smell like wee, not musty, it's quite different.

I'd just take her to the Dr if I were you, at this age is no different than going because you have a sore foot, no need to wait.

*from

oh and if it is worms - you must treat the whole family at the same time to prevent re infection.

i love that mine are grown up!