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Children's health

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Original poster

Unretractable foreskin in 5 year old - any experience??

18 replies

JoandMax · 08/08/2013 16:01

DS1 turned 5 last month and has a completely unretractable foreskin - when he has a wee his willy balloons up! It doesn't budge at all.

I saw a GP when he was about 3 and they said they weren't concerned at the time as he'd had no issues potty training or any UTIs but if no better by around 5 it'd need to be corrected surgically.........

He's recently started to notice his willy is different to his brothers and it doesn't 'go back' so I'm not sure what to do.

I've read various things on the internet about this and there seems to be lots of opinions about when or if to correct it so I'm really after advice or experiences from other people who've experienced this. Obviously I want to avoid surgery but if its going to be inevitable I'd rather it was when he was young enough to not be embarrassed by it.

Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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DingbatsFur · 08/08/2013 20:51

Could you gently suggest he sit in a warm bath and... Ahem ... Explore?
My DS1 had an unretracted foreskin and no interest in retracting it until his younger brother showed him the amazing discovery he had made in the bath. Your son's may be more serious but this might be worth a try.

Original poster

JoandMax · 09/08/2013 04:02

Thanks Dingbats - we've been trying that for ages but it really is so tight it doesn't move at all, there's no improvement at all from when he was a toddler...... I think a trip to docs is in order really, I just wanted to avoid that so much!

We also have the younger brother who delights in showing how his does go back (in any time or place he possibly thinks he can get away with it!!)

OP posts:

TheOneWithTheHair · 09/08/2013 04:15

You need to go back to your gp.

Ds1 had this and it was picked up early, although he had a lot of infections. They can send you for referal who will probably prescribe a steroid cream for a while. This can work and I know they'd rather avoid circumcision if they can.

If all else fails they can circumcise and it really is a case of the younger the better. Ds1 was circumcised at 4 and has never had a problem since. He's 17 now.

foxy6 · 09/08/2013 04:18

my son had the same problem and when he was five they booked him in for t be circumcised but while under anaesthetic the managed to unstick it they said sometimes the forskin can just get struck and needs sticking it was sore for him for a few days so we had numbing gel to put on it

confuddledDOTcom · 09/08/2013 04:54

What??? it's not supposed to be retractable! It starts any time between 5 and 18, I'd he gets to 18 and it isn't, then he needs to see his GP, in the meantime, leave it alone.

Only clean what is seen; when intact, don't retract.

confuddledDOTcom · 09/08/2013 04:58

If he is getting infected they can give a cream for it but some ballooning is normal.

my what was at doctors saying he should retract, not at you yes some boys can earlier than others but it's all variations of normal.

Furball · 09/08/2013 06:56

Ballooning is normal and can be part of the process of the skin separating, naturally little by little.

The skin doesn't need to be separated by 5, it is in some and like confuddled says it can be up until aged 18.

Original poster

JoandMax · 10/08/2013 15:30

See this is the confusing thing - there seems to be massive variations on what's 'normal'!!

I know some ballooning is normal but his really does go like a golf ball and TMI he has to squeeze it while he's having a wee to get it all out.

My only comparisons are his brother (who can pull his back very very easily and fully) and my friends sons - some had ballooning when younger but it's all gone now in them all.......

OP posts:

confuddledDOTcom · 11/08/2013 00:47

It is normal and only a problem if it gets infected and even then conservative treatment should nhs the first option. Boys will play with their penis as they get older, they don't even need telling and the more they play/ the more erections they have, the more the fusion breaks and the more it will retract.

In the US, often babies who aren't done will be done later because they get ballooning, doctor says to retract, forcible retracting causes damage and baby needs to get one and "see, he should have been done at birth". The foreskin is as fused as your nail, if it's not done gradually in it's own time, it will cause damage. Ever broke a nail?

kaumana · 11/08/2013 00:52

Its normal. Please don't try to retract the skin, that alone will cause pain and cause infection. As stated above it is a normal bodily process that can last till puberty.

Original poster

JoandMax · 11/08/2013 04:04

I don't try and retract it, he does!! He wants to be like his brother....

So how come there is so much differing opinion on this? Our GP was very sure it was abnormal and there's a lot of medical stuff online as well as a lot about it not being an issue provided there's no infections? It makes it difficult to know what's best.

Would a urologist be an expert in this? I would like to get a doctor's opinion on this and where we are you can go straight to specialists

OP posts:

kaumana · 11/08/2013 09:36

TBH we originally thought it was an issue and went to our GP who thought it was too. He sent us to our local childrens hospital who promptly sent us home with a flea in our ear re GPs wasting their time but to come back at age 14 if it hadn't resolved. It has

jchocchip · 11/08/2013 09:47

Hmm all that ballooning and weeing in a circular pattern makes your bathroom smell though. We were not given option of doing nothing. Ds was uncomfortable, only option given was circumcision... wasn't mning at the time so knew no better...

jchocchip · 11/08/2013 09:48

confuddledDOTcom · 12/08/2013 00:42

I think because circumcision used to be more common in the UK so still a bit of duff information around, especially if people go to a doctor with it as an issue. A lot of bad information from the US but I'm not sure how much that infiltrates.

If there's no infection, don't worry about seeing a doctor. If he's making a mess in the bathroom, either encourage him to Wookie up, if he's old enough and/ or to sit down.

It's ok for boys to do it because they won't hurt themselves, just make sure he knows to stop if it hurts!

confuddledDOTcom · 12/08/2013 00:43

Ooh and make sure anything you read is British!

bumbleymummy · 13/08/2013 08:22

DS1 has this at age 7. No infections, some ballooning/spraying sometimes but we're just letting it be because its not causing problems. As others have said, it usually resolves itself during puberty. :)

boofted · 13/08/2013 22:29

JoandMax my son had this and his would balloon up to golf ball size and he needed to be circumcised urgently. His happened within a couple of weeks though and he was in a lot of pain. If you aren't happy then go and see your dr again.

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