My 7 year old complains her vagina stings

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

DD2, who is 7, seems to have a reoccurring problem with her vagina where it flares up and stings for weeks.

We’ve seen the doctor several times, she’s been examined, tested for UTIs and been given lots of different creams. It’s unlikely to be thrush because of her age - apparently very rare pre puberty.

The problem seems to be it’s in her actual vagina, not around the vulva - so the creams are kind of useless. With the most recent flare up, we have swabbed her vagina (which was semi traumatic for her and difficult to do) in case of a bacterial infection but I’m not convinced I was able to get a good sample. She was very upset and I didn’t want to force it.

From what I understand, it could be vulvovaginitis which is where pre puberty, the vagina doesn’t get the hormones it needs to reduce “bad” bacteria and the area is open to infection. However both my DDs had this when younger but it was much more external and a barrier cream helped.

Has anyone experienced this and did you figure out what works? I’ve just ordered probiotics for all 3 of my DC (we used to take probiotics a lot but just stopped for no reason) and going to see if cutting out sugar will help - I’m wondering if the flare up is from an over indulgence of sweets at Christmas?

She’s in so much discomfort it’s meant she’s come home from school and it disrupts her sleep.

My daughter has always suffered with this since potty training.

turns out she doesn’t always wipe properly after peeing, she absolutely cannot skip a bath or again it causes issues (we use dermol to wash with only, an emollient), no knickers in bed and if she has worms (too blooming often) it affects her there too.

Worms are the absolute fucking pits - just needed to get that off my chest because I bloody hate them 😩😩😩

She’s very good with personal hygiene- it’s just her personality, she’s a diligent kind of soul for most things - so though I’ve checked and checked she’s wiping properly, peeing with her legs wide open etc etc, I don’t actually think there’s much we can do to improve.

The no knickers at night is interesting though - they both always wear pants.

My daughter complained of a similar issue, and it is when she has thread worms we identified. These have been a recurring issue since Reception. I now dose her with Ovex regularly and fingers crossed, this seems to have sorted it.

We’re unfortunately very familiar with worms but the main things that make think it’s not is that is constant and throughout the day - not isolated to just the evening and night. And also that it’s stinging/ painful not itchy. I’ve also been spending so much time putting creams on and looking for signs of inflammation or discharge, i would have spotted one by now 🤢

Maybe unhelpful but is she wiping front to back? My DD had a phase that went front-back-front, in one motion, if that makes sense, so she may as well have been wiping back to front. She didn't have the same symptoms but it did cause a few problems.

Are you sure it isn’t a uti? Current testing is notorious for missing 70% infections. Has a sample been sent off for proper testing and what did the report say?
Drapolene cream is very soothing in my experience.