OMG poor Ds's poor willy!

[GreenGlassGoblin]

Eeek, got DS up this morning, went to change his nappy, and his poor willy is all swollen. The foreskin is like a huge red donut around the glans. We've got a GP appointment for the end of morning surgery, but (as I'm sitting here worrying myself to death) does anyone have any idea what it could be? It doesn't seem to be causing him too much grief, though he doesn't want it touched / washed. Managed to wipe him down with cotton wool and warm, dilute savlon, but it looks so, so sore. Poor little boy

poor little lad a friends little boy had something that sounds similar and I think that it turned out to be an infection that cleared up easily. Hope the appt goes well.

Can you try keep nappy off for as long as possible till doc appt - stick him on a pile of towels and let the air soothe it. I'm sure it will calm down soon. Good luck.

it sound like balanitis

don't worry, it's quite common in small boys

ds1 had it and it is balanitis, easy to treat hun xx

thank you - that's reassuring We went nappy free until I had to take him down to nursery (guilt, but I'm working, it's only for another hour). I've told them to be super careful with him if he needs a nappy change, but tbh I don't think they'll need reminding if they see it! Poor lad, I thought he had tummy ache in the night, turns out it must have been willy ache!

Poor little boy. He might need circumcising if he's prone to it, but as long as that's done properly it heals quickly and doesn;t do much harm.

Yes sounds like balanitis. ds had this last year. He was put on antibiotics and within 24hours was fine. I wouldn't fret too much re circumcision tbh, it is only necessary if they suffer repeatedly.

this is balanitis.

all i can do is tell you my experience.

went to out of hours dr, who was ready to send us to casualty with a letter, he rang first and they said (reading between the lines of hearing only half, his side, of the convo) f&*k off give him antibiotics first.

which he did and we duly took them (i'm lentil weavy so it was the first and last time ds has had anti-b's).

swelling went down. went to our homeopath, she asked 'have they told you how to prevent this happening again?' i said 'no', she sighed in exasperation and told us every night in the bath to EXTREMELY GENTLY pull ds's foreskin back NOT FORCING IN ANY WAY and wiggle it around in the water to clean it.

we've done this and had not a problem since, and thinking back, ds was prone, as he had had red and sore penis before then loads of times. not a sausage (sorry ) since we've been cleaning him like that, he is 4 now and does it himself.

loads of people will now post on here telling me that you're not meant to pull the foreskin back and that it retracts naturally. of course that's right. this is not about forcing the foreskin back, this is about gently letting water get to where the shit and piss is trapped and washing it out. REALLY REALLY GENTLY.

and it works. and it avoids circumcision, well it did in our case.

hth.

thank you - I have been wondering about washing him. He has really messy sticky poos, and wipes don't seem a brilliant way of getting him clean. I'll def do the gentle foreskin retraction in the bath thing - he's nearly 2, and getting the idea about washing hands/brushing teeth, so another personal hygiene thing should grab his attention at the moment. It looks so sore, doesn't it? Dh was wincing and virtually crossing his legs when I showed him. Amusing, but not helpful!

seriously, don't tug it, just pull gently only as far as it will go and wiggle and wiggle, you're trying to swish water up there to where it all gets trapped.

wipes just can't get up there (nor should they, i'll never forget reading a post on here that baby wipes got a stain out of a sofa that everyghing else hadn't and what the hell kind of nuclear chemicals do they have in them) but water will.

good luck with it, i'm sure it will all be fine...antibiotics work fast on it.

By donut do you mean this...
warning-very,very graphic

If so phone GP and tell them it is a paraphymosis and he needs seeing asap.

ooh, very graphic indeed! No, not that 'neat', nothing is trapped, it's just very swollen. Am off to get him from nursery now as they've just phoned to say he seems in pain.

my ds2 had this, it does sound like ballinitis as the ladies have said, when i took him to the gp she was quite shocked and said she hadnt seen a case that severe before, the end of his willy was like a ping pong ball.

he could wee, but it was VERY painful for him, she gave us antibiotics but said if there was no improvement in 12hrs or if he became unable to wee to take him straight to a&e.

luckily the antibiotics worked quickly, we also made sure he drank loads of water and also some diluted cranberry juice. he has been fine since and not had another infection.

hope your little one is ok asap xxxxx

It is indeed balanitis and, like you 3madboys, the dr said he doesn't usually see cases this severe. By the time DS got examined everything was terribly swollen and pus was discharging. They've given us broad spectrum antibiotics and taken a swab, and said to come back later today if it gets any worse. The poor lad is asleep now, dosed with antibiotics and calpol. Thanks to everyone for your advice and support.

oh poor wee man, hope the antibiotics work asap and he begins to improve xxxxx

and oh yes def dose with calpol, anything to help make him feel more comfortable, actually a warmish bath might help, ds2 weed more comfortabley in the bath xxx

I second the bath. WHen ds had it we let him sit and play in the bath (add some salt to the water) for ages, I think it is very soothing.

How is he today?

He's good, thank you. He's had 3 doses of anitibiotics now, and things are looking a lot calmer down there! Also did the warm salt-water bath last night. It's obviously still sore ('no touch, mummy!'), but the shiny scalded look has gone from the skin and I think the abs are working. Such a relief. He's gone to nursery so I can get some more exam revision done (hence I'm on mn)

Pleased to hear it. Once the ab's kick it it settles pretty quickly.