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Children's health

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Original poster

Red swollen penis DS 3.4

25 replies

AmIGoingMad · 09/05/2014 13:29

DS was in pain weds with his penis. He even woke in the night as he was in pain. By thurs morning it was red and very swollen ( the length of it, not the end). Dr gave us steroid cream to apply. He's had 5 applications now and in sure its looking worse not better.

Anyone had experience of this?

OP posts:

Youdontneedacriminallawyer · 09/05/2014 13:30

Could be an infection - I'd go back to the GP, pronto.

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 09/05/2014 13:48

That's what my initial thought was but DH thinks we should give the cream the chance to work first as it was only yesterday that we were given it. I can see his point but I'm not happy to wait til Monday. Similarly I think if we went back today the dr would tell us to wait for the cream to take effect. Maybe out of hours tomorrow if its no better by morning? It's difficult to know what to do

OP posts:

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 09/05/2014 16:38

Anyone else had this?

OP posts:

ManWithNoName · 09/05/2014 16:46

Ask your Dr to check for balanitis. Can be common in young boys under 5. DS2 had it.

A number of potential causes but mostly because the foreskin is tight, stops urine escaping properly, this traps some urine under the foreskin and sets up the right environment for bacteria to grow. Can in severe cases lead to repeated infection and circumcision is required. - as happened to DS1 and an older friend of mine.

deepinthewoods · 09/05/2014 16:55

Poor mite. I would take him again tonight to be seen. Is there an out of hours- or even A& E. He may need antibiotics.
I am a great believer in mother's instincts.

If you are concerned get another opinion, or at the very least phone NHS 24.
Hope he's feeling better soon.

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 09/05/2014 19:23

I know. He's being so brave with it bless him.

We've just put the steroid cream on and he's off to bed. We're going to phone for out of hours appointment as soon as he gets up tomorrow if its the same as it is tonight.

I feel that its not right but can understand that it would make sense to give the cream a few hours more ( he's always awake by 6 latest) just in case it can help.

My instinct says that a trip to the doctors and some antibiotics is what he needs.

OP posts:

Serotonin · 09/05/2014 19:25

call 111 off the top of my head I'm sure that this would result in an OOH appointment for him

Trazzletoes · 09/05/2014 19:28

OOH at least! DS had balanitis ( infection under the foreskin) when he was small. He ended up being sent to A&E and admitted for Iv antibiotics as it was the worst case they'd ever seen!

It's unusual to get so bad but it sounds like he needs some medicine to me and I wouldn't be happy waiting all weekend. It has to hurt

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 09/05/2014 19:35

Agree- out of hours tomrw without fail. I won't be taking no for an answer. He's shattered now and has hit that point in the evening where only sleep will do else I'd be taking him tonight. I'm kicking myself for not just taking him to gp earlier today and telling him I'd like him to take a second look. I've never been good at pushing things like that but have been getting much better at it when it comes to dcs. Wish I'd trusted myself earlier.

OP posts:

fridayfreedom · 09/05/2014 19:36

Same here DS had an infection like this when he was 3.
He needed antibiotics then an op to stretch his foreskin as it was slightly adhered to the glans.

deepinthewoods · 09/05/2014 21:08

fridayfreedom at 3 years old most foreskins are fused to the glans. This is why it important to leave well alone.
Many infections are caused by trying to forcibly retract the foreskin.

I'm not saying this has happened to the OP, although the boy may have done it himself. Sometimes infection just happens.

NotAQueef · 09/05/2014 21:36

Oh bless him. Hope you get it sorted at docs tomorrow. Don't beat yourself up, it's not something that obviously requires immediate attention and it's hard to know.
Fwiw I have been worried that DS is going to get an infection there for a while as it quite often looks sort of ballooned in the middle and abit red at the end. It usually resolves itself in a few days though.
Dp was circumsised as a young boy due to foreskin being too tight, so obviously making sure the same thing isn't happening, while at the same time having a useless dp who can't advise what is normal.
deep good to know that it's usual at 3 for it to still be fused ... Wasn't sure if we needed to do anything re stretching/cleaning.

deepinthewoods · 09/05/2014 21:51

notaqueef- please leave well alone. No need to do anything.

Trazzletoes · 09/05/2014 21:51

Mad don't beat yourself up. It happens to us all.

I know when DS' went it was really fast - a bit sore and swollen at bedtime, by 10pm there was a red line down it, by 11pm it was huge and black. I think I'd have fainted if I'd found it like that in the morning! A&E really werent overly concerned though, even when it was like that. They only kept us in because I was obviously so panicked and anxious (DH was working away and I was pregnant!), they would have been quite happy for us to come home with oral meds.

I hope you all manage some sleep. You're doing grand.

NotAQueef · 09/05/2014 22:22

Will do. That was my instinct anyway. wasn't something I wanted to even think about having to do tbh it was just that a friend mentioned her doctor had advised her to do so. We were both a bit

NotAQueef · 09/05/2014 22:24

mad sorry for hijack. Really hope mini mad is on the mend soon

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 09/05/2014 22:49

Thanks all for the advice and support!

Just when you think you've got this parenting thing kind of figured out you get a massive curve ball hey!

OP posts:

Trazzletoes · 10/05/2014 07:02

I hope you've both had a good night.

deepinthewoods · 10/05/2014 07:50

How is he this merning? Better I hope.

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 10/05/2014 12:33

Thank you for asking! I've come back to update.

We got an appt for out of hours dr this morning. Got there and it was our GP! He had a quick look and said we needed antibiotics.

So we have them and DS has had one dose. Fingers crossed that starts to sort things asap!

Thanks again!

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Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 11/05/2014 11:28

There's already been an improvement in how much pain he's in. Ever so slight reduction in swelling too. Phew!

OP posts:

deepinthewoods · 11/05/2014 11:41

So glad he's on the mend. X

ManWithNoName · 11/05/2014 11:43

That's good.

Just a word of caution. DS2 started like this with a series of infections and antibiotics gradually getting more frequent. If that starts to happen get on to it quickly. Mention balanitis to the GP and get your DS to a specialist.

Hopefully it won't happen but if it does it certainly doesn't correct itself and the older DS gets the worse it will get. Don't leave until teenage years that for sure.

deepinthewoods · 11/05/2014 11:54

My son had one infection like this and that was it.
He is a teenager now and has remained trouble free since the age of 4.

Original poster

AmIGoingMad · 11/05/2014 18:22

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully it'll be a one off but at least we're better informed if it does happen again thanks to you ladies

He's feeling better still tonight thank goodness!

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