DS (4.5) recently circumcised. Still won't wear pants! Advice please..

[BootleBumtrinket]

DS was circumcised for medical reasons 4 days ago. The foreskin was adhered to the glans so had to be dissected off and he is left with a glans that was half skinned IYSWIM.

He is being dosed up with calpol and nurofen regularly and is healing well. The stitches look great, the swelling is gone but the glans is still very red and a bit oozy in the morning (wears pull up pants at night that don't help I guess) although I think it is healing ok (I have some medical background). We have to put anti-b cream on the area which makes him hysterical and he needs a lot of persuasion to have a warm bath to wash the area. I think the fear of anything touching the area is bigger than the pain now and he refuses to put pants on. He even admits that taking off his pull up pants and having the cream put on doesn't hurt anymore but is still freaking out and running away crying.

Should I push this issue or just let him run around in the house and garden with nothing on (as he is doing) until he is happy to put some on? DH says (he was done as a young adult) that it will feel strange even when healed when he wears pants as that area has never been touched. We are all going a bit crazy at home (he is a very boisterous kid) and I would love to go to the park or something.

Has anyone got advice about this? How long did your boy take to calm down and wear pants/go out?

TIA

Our neighbours son was done when he was around 4. We lived in Bangkok at the time and the paed advised using a paper cone (drinking water cup) as a sort of jockstrap in his unders. Said child soon developed a 'look at my huge pointy winkle sort of strut'. Have you asked about spray local anaesthetic or am I reading the post wrong. Too many beers possibly?

i would absolutely not push it, just let him do it at his own pace.
can't be very nice for him, so i would just go with it.
but perhaps if you mention going to the park or something he would be tempted enough to put some on?

i wonder if you could use something a bit more breathable at night though that might help? is he still very wet at night?

or could you even get him to wear a pull-up if you go out if he is happy to pt one on?

Would he wear swimming trunks so he just has that net bit to contend with rather than pants? Must be a bit looser and more comfy, I'd have thought (but have obv never worn them so might be talking rubbish). And he could go to the park in them!

Thanks everyone. We have been given dressings by the GP to put on him at night (he is still very wet so needs his pull up pants) and he took the dressing off himself this morning and can touch the area without getting hysterical so we are definitely getting there!

We are still housebound but he is better in himself and happier which is making life easier... Also ironing and washing levels much reduced with a child who refuses to wear any clothes so silver linings and all that!!!

DS was very unhappy with the whole thing for a long while as well. He just wore long t shirts for about a week before graduating to loose boxers or just PJ bottoms/ soft tracksuits. Also, a tip from another parent, bought him loads of new bath toys to lure him into the water. Worked very well.