Reassurance from parents of girls

[Elfina]

DD is 2.8, and she's come home from nursery with a very sore looking vagina. Obviously I don't mean internally, but I guess the "entrance" area, as well as part of her labia majora. She was very upset when I changed her nappy, but is fine now.

Is this common in small girls? I'm having all sorts of horrible worries about it (I was the victim of sexual abuse as a child). This is going to sound odd, but when she was tiny, you couldn't really see labia majora, and I just assumed that it stayed that way til much older. I'm a bit freaked out that it's more developed than that now, and I guess that I'm really concerned that something has happened.

I'm praying that I'm being illogical and that it's perfectly normal. Would love some reassurance.

Should note, absolutely zero reason to suspect that she is anything other than 100% safe at all times.

Is she still in nappies?

sometimes that are gets a bit sore. sudecrem sorts it. She probably either was in a nappy a bit long or isn't wiping after using the loo.

they may also be using a different brand of wile or nappy which can irritate

Yes, still in nappies arm

Yes v common. Dd gets this easily if she's not careful and she's 8!!

She'll be hot and her bottom wet in this weather. Nappy may only be changed every 2-3 hours. At that age the volume of wee in a nappy can be lots. Imagine if you walked round in a warm wet nappy for hours
Put loads of sudocreme on in the morning and ask nursery to do the same.

I would guess that they are using different wipes ( cheep wipes ), my dad used to be the same if nursery used someone else's wipes on her.

Yes normal, esp now its hot. My dd still gets this is she doesn't dry herself properly and she is 9yo!

Are they changing her regularly?

The weather is rather warm and muggy, that combined with a wet and snug nappy can result in sore bits for girls and boys. If she is comfy and happy after a bath or wash I really wouldn't worry. That said as you have understandable issues you can always get the GP check.

Is she itchy? Or just red?

A wet nappy and warm weather is a nice breeding ground for a fungal infection, such as thrush, which can cause a red, swollen, sore and itchy vulva.

Try going nappy free as much as possible, and wash gently then apply some sudocrem alternating with canesten cream (clotrimazole) if you have it.

It looked much better at bath time, and she's not complained about it at all.

Thank you, I feel very reassured! Lots of cream for bed, and probably think about potty training a bit more seriously !

My dd had this too, she is 5 now and if she doesn't wipe properly then she gets sore down there

Does she drink fruit juice/squash and/or eat a lot of fruit? Particularly apples, strawberries, black currants?

I've known several children, including my own who get sore when they consume too much. I think it makes the urine acidic or contain some other irritant.

Salty baths and cream help.

Ps. Are you getting labia majora and minora confused? The labia majora are the external "flaps"- it's the minora that are inside and can't usually be seen.