Do you think this could be balanitis?

[MegBusset]

DS (16mo) has been grabbing at his crotch a bit today. He always tugs at his willy whenever his nappy is off but at bathtime tonight I could see the end of his penis (normally completely covered by the foreskin) and it looked red... plus there were a few white 'bits'. He didn't seem in any pain and has been weeing normally.

Am going to take him to the GP in the morning if I can get an appointment, but just wondering if anyone had this and it turned out to be balanitis, or could it just be that he's stretched the foreskin more than previously?

I think the end of the penis is normally red. White bits might be smegma? I wouldn't worry, tbh, if he doesn't seem unhappy. I think the whole penis swells with balanitis, doesn't it?

Thanks NQC, the doc has confirmed there's no infection. It's just that he's stretched the foreskin more than previously so it looked different! Doc just said to pull back gently and clean it in the bath.

i'm so glad your doc was wise enough to advise that. pull back incredibly gently (you're not trying to get the foreskin further back, just trying to allow water to clean what is already exposed properly) and wiggle around in the bath a bit. this sorted ds's recurrent balanitis out completely. although your doc is probably right that there is no infection, redness is the beginning so i think you were right to take him in.

Thanks Soph I did feel a bit at having demanded an emergency appt but otherwise it's always a week-long wait for an appt and we're on holiday from Saturday.