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

[AnyFucker]

any updates ?

[TheEnthusiasticTroll]

Yy nothing soapy and fragranced, I use a drops of sanex in the bath or a drop of the mermaid or pirate bubbles and dd uses the flannel in the water with no soap or shower gel to wash.

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

Winny - you are lucky not to have any reference If it was wee you'd know, it's more acrid, not yeasty/musty/adult.

It could just be the handwashing/fiddling etc starting it off - but those things in themselves don't cause a smell, they create the right environment for an infection/bacteria to grow etc - so it's still best to get her checked out. At her age she shouldn't smell 'adult' even if she's not bathed in a fortnight - wee'y and revolting maybe but not that other smell.

Be careful what she is washing with (and how energetically - I lost count of the times I said 'Barbies leg does not go there' and other sentences you never think you will utter ). Lots of childrens bath stuff isn't great, it's far too fragranced for small kids and lots of soap too - make sure you're using something gentle.

[TheEnthusiasticTroll]

No need to be sorry I didn't mean my post to be accusing, it's just I know my self from experience that little girls fiddle and don't always wash hands.

My dd will go as long as she can without seeing any water, its swimming on Mondays and she lucky if she sees the bath tub before Saturday morning . And my dd is pretty grotty sometimes if not reminded.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i remember imparting these gems to my Dsis whose boy is just a year and a bit younger than my eldest....

her face was priceless.
he had worms too. she had no idea.

it does make me wonder how we can split the atom but not get rid of these parasitic little bastards....

[winnybella]

Ha ha ha, AF

[winnybella]

Thanks, TET. It's true that I have got a bit relaxed about all of this, tbh Bath 3-4 times a week and that was it. As she cannot wipe properly/has hands in her knickers/could do with more hand washing as well obviously things need to change.

Off to bed, thank you all

[AnyFucker]

I will never forget

< sweats, hyperventilates >

[ThatVikRinA22]

oh sympathies af. i never actually found any - er - of my own but i know the kids had them and that means we did too....law of averages and all that.

i did try and look. contortions with a mirror were not terribly easy as im not all that flexible!

i used to have family packs of worm tablets in (just in case) alone with family packs of headlice lotions....

my cupboard was always stocked! ever since i discovered the little buggers existed!

i managed a whole childhood without nits, and then the kids gave them to me. the paranoia after that.....

i would sit shaking my head onto a white bit of A4 every night.
just in case.

isnt it funny how you forget all this when they grow up?

[TheEnthusiasticTroll]

My dd does this and she is 6 I find good hand hygiene prevents the whiffs. If her hands are not clean she is spreading dirt and bacteria. So if she has hands down pants as soon as they come out hands get washed. Also the unclean hands down the pants can cause red and soreness, hand washing also helps keep this at bay.

Hand washing after and before everything that requires clean hands is a good habit to get into.

It's perfectly normal as other posters suggest I would not worry too much up the hand hygiene and see how it goes. I also found that at this age they need to wash with a flannel in the bath, up until then a general soak etc along with help with wiping after using the toilet was sufficient but as girls get older and more self sufficient they do need to specifically wash genital area with a flannel.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

LOL actually laughing AF poking their egg laying instruments out around my bum hol HA sorry that is funny.

[izzyishavingababyAGAIN]

This brings back such joyous memories of when teenage SD had worms, told me, refused to tell her mother or let me or DH take her to doctors in case - heaven forbid - her mother found out we had taken her to doctors.

She was treated, we were all treated, I boil washed (7 sets of) bedding and was extremely stressed - of course, SDs home wasnt treated and the small DCs got them again.

Oh the joy I felt at repeating the whole process.

(Not SDs fault but frustrating to say the least).

[AnyFucker]

I do apologise for TMI in that last post.

[AnyFucker]

Vic...the evening I discovered I had the bastard worms

it was past 10 pm, before the days of all night chemists

I had to try and get some sleep, knowing the fuckers were in there, poking their egg-laying instruments out around my bum hole (that's what causes the intense itching)

I must have scrubbed my arse red raw sat on the loo all through the night and didn't get a wink of shuteye

I was on the doorstep of the chemist at 8am sharp with a pained expression on my face, never been so glad to see a friendly (knowing) face

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Right I'm going to de-worm the 3 of us just in case. not going to mention the itchy bum I get sometimes

[ThatVikRinA22]

brandy - they can indeed be undiscovered. how do you think they are spread!? cos parents live in ignorant bliss!

the meds are safe - and i think if you talk to a chemist who does the minor ailment thing you can get them on prescription.

i always just bought the family packs. i think i got paranoid at one stage.....

[AnyFucker]

brandy...are you safe ?

in a word ?

nope

[ThatVikRinA22]

@ anyfucker

oh the memories.
many a night id sit with a torch up DD s nightdress.

[winnybella]

Are the worm meds innocuous? Can I just give them to her like that? OTC or on px?

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Shit can they be undiscovered? I have never looked up dd's vagina to even know if she has worms! They can't be there for years and years without symptons right?

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Do you think I'm safe at 5 and 6...

It's never anything I remember having as a kid either, I do remember whenever we were hungry my dm would start on about "we must have worms to be so hingry".

[ThatVikRinA22]

oh this brings back memories....

dd found her own worms in her vagina. bless her. i think she decapitated one with her nail....

i had looked and looked and looked (the poor girl) and seen nothing.

id speak with gp, but id also give meds and see what goes. just remember to read the advice leaflet - it wil tell you about the washing bedding and stuff....you can get a family pack of tablets.

i think on balance, i preferred it when mine had nits over worms.

[AnyFucker]

brandy...it's to anyone with first child approaching 3/4 years old

[winnybella]

ChippingIn- yes, it's a bit of an 'adult' smell, if that makes sense, as opposed to just stale urine, but then I don't have any point of reference iyswim.

Will call the doc tomorrow.

[AnyFucker]

Vic...it sounds like we are in the same situation and had the same fun and games a few years ago (but not that long ago it isn't edged with pathos and humour)