DS (10) has to see GP today for a 'personal' examination -- oh dear, he is mortified, how can I help him cope?

[fluffyhamster]

DS (age 10) is worried that his testicles aren't haven't descended properly - they are definitely not visible in his scrotum, and he says he can't feel them

I'm hoping they are just 'retracted' and will grow/hang down in due course. (They were checked after birth & twice more before the age of 4 and recorded as being 'satisfactory').

DH is taking him to see our (male) GP tonight. I know he will be mortified about needing to be examined .

What can I say or do to help?

Anyone know exactly what the GP will do?

Yes - have already had similar conversations Pixie..

e.g. DH went to GP and saw the new, young, (attractive ) female locum about his pile...
About a month later we went to a party and were introduced to a friend's new girlfriend who said, "ooh - I recognise you, I'm sure we've met before..." and then deafening silence and blushing as they both remembered when/how....

I also made DS laugh by telling him how I had a whole class of medical students peering up my fanjo when he was being born..

Maybe have something nice to look forward to afterwards, to reassure him that it will be done with and life will move on !

OK, I need some MN hugs and moral support.... the GP 'coulodn't find them' so he has been referred for an ultrasound.

That said, the GP said he 'thought' he could feel one high up, and also said it is quite common for boys his age (10) to have them retract for a period of time until puberty.

That said, DH & I are worrying ourselves sick:

• what if he only has one
• what if he needs an op to rbing them down
• what if they have 'withered away' (occasionally happens apparently)

I have panicked myself my googling ultrasound for undescended testes, and have read that when they look for them, they also check to make sure that there isn't a uterus

OMG!

Am trying to keep calm...

• he had some at birth - the Red book says so (4 times) and I have seen them (I think?)

• if they are there, and undescended, then the outcome of surgery is usually very good

EXCEPT he will be at a 30% higher risk for testicular cancer....

(Going for the ultrasound on Monday. am worried about what to say to DS - he will be there 'seeing it all' or not....)

So it is not the news you wanted to hear and I am sorry for you, your DH and D.
However. You don't want to panic becuase then your DS will worry. Just play it cool (even though you are thinking the worst) and treat it like an everyday event. Go out this weekend with the family and do something fun and worry after the ultrasound.

Don't panic. My ds saw a consultant urologist about the same problem. Bearing in mind she was an expert (which GPs aren't...no offence GPs) it took her quite alot of fiddling about to find one of his testicles - she actually said 'oh dear I think we have a problem' but then was finally able to find it. She said they were very 'mobile'! Also, under examination they can retract and be hard to find. STOP GOOGLING now and wait until you get confirmation (either way) on Monday

my dh had an op at 14 for undescended testes - very simple, tiny unnoticable scar and they function fine

but I can understand why you are worried - please stop googling and have a nice family weekend - and come back and tel us how you get on!

Thank you! Thank you!

Those are exactly the stern, sensible responses I need....

I can't help feeling so terribly guilty that neither DH nor I had spotted this earlier. It's not like you check out your kids in that area once they come out of nappies is it? And I just assumed all boys were pretty tiny in that department, but that things dropped and grew later.

It is only because DS2 is hung like a donkey well developed that we/DS1 began to notice a difference.

I think DH is feeling rather bad (but it's manifesting itself as grumpiness ) as he probably feels that testicle issues are 'his department & responsibility'.

Enormarse - what was the outcome for your DS - did he have surgery?

No surgery, his testicles are A ok! He may however need circumcising at a later date but that's a whole different kettle of (wince inducing) fish.

OK - update - and in fact I have started another thread here to see if other people have experience of this.

The good news is that his testes are there.

the bad news is that the Dr described them as 'quite high up' and said he thought he will need surgery to bring them down .

I am feeling really upset and shaky, and guilty that we didn't spot this sooner...