Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Phimosis in toddler

44 replies

hm1610 · 03/01/2022 00:10

Hi all, my son, 3 years old has been suffering for around 3 weeks now which has eventually been diagnosed as phimosis. To begin with it was suspected UTI and a course of antibiotics completed, no improvement and then balanitis diagnosed so a second lot of antibiotics completed. STILL no improvement so it would now appear to be phimosis. He has been prescribed a steroid cream to be applied daily after bathing and I've to try and retract foreskin afterwards, this is for 3 months. He has been referred to surgeon however how long is a piece of string.... looking for advice and experiences as he's still ballooning and in a lot of pain when urinating each time. Thank you in advance... he had just nailed toilet training so this is a major set back as he now doesn't have full control of his bladder. - worried first time mum!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Mano2020 · 04/10/2022 12:24

So glad everything went well. How was the recovery? My little one has come off the steroid cream and the Doctor has advised we retract the foreskin 3 times a week to make sure it does not tighten. I find if I do not do this then the skin becomes tighter again and the steroid cream has to be used again. Its like a vicious circle. He does not seem to have any pain when going toilet or infections so I am hoping as he grows things get easier but at the back of my head I always worry about if it does not get better. We have a review in a years time again with the consultant. Wishing your little one the best of luck with everything. Thanks for updating your post.

fhtshop · 04/10/2022 14:57

How far could get his foreskin to retract before his circumcision?
I am having trouble getting my son's foreskin to retract much my mother says I should push down a lot harder and it should pop all the way back but an in two minds whether to do it because he doesn't like when I try to retract it he starts to get upset.

fhtshop · 04/10/2022 15:03

I cannot fully retract my son. What age was your boy when you could fully react to him? I have been using steroid cream from the doctor for about 2 months now.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3 year olds Children's health General health General parenting

Mano2020 · 04/10/2022 21:43

@fhtshop my son was around 22 months when it began to retract. The steroid cream we would apply to the skin surrounding the tip of the penis. So pushed back slightly and applied a thin layer of the cream to the skin and wiping away any excess. I am finding though when I stop the cream I need to make sure I am regularly retracting the penis 3-4 times a week after his bath or we are back to square one. Wishing you all the best for your little one.

fhtshop · 05/10/2022 14:57

Mano2020 Thank you for your reply.
My son is 4 years old. His foreskin only retracts about a ¼ of the way before it gets tight; he definitely has some smegma trapped inside so doctor gave me the steroid cream to put on and said after a few months we should be able to retract all or at least most of the way to wash it off. When you say you retract your son 3-4 times a week how far are you able to retract it and what age is your son now? I am having a terrible time trying to do this as my son hates cries and moves around a lot which makes it harder. Dose you boy make a fuss as well when you do it?

Mano2020 · 05/10/2022 16:53

@fhtshop I know it is so hard. I think its easier for my little one as he is younger so I use a lot of distractions whilst retracting it. Once I had applied the steroid cream thinly for a couple of months it would retract back fully in one smooth motion. Once I stop it gets tighter again unless I am retracting it regularly. I find after a warm bath it is easier or even whilst in the bath when he is distracted. Also make sure you are applying the steroid cream to the surrounding skin around the tip. When I first started I was not pushing the skin slightly back before applying so it was not making any difference.

fhtshop · 06/10/2022 14:50

Thanks, so if I give him a warm bath, push the foreskin back then rub the steroid cream around the tip and part way down the shaft while keeping the foreskin as far retracted as I can rather than putting the cream on without retracting?

Mano2020 · 06/10/2022 22:57

Yes, the steroid cream is for the skin at around the tip of the penis. This should help loosen it and hopefully allow it to retract further. If it does not make any difference then I would definitely advise you go back to your Gp/Consultant to get it looked at again. I find after bath it is more relaxed so I apply the cream etc then.

fhtshop · 07/10/2022 19:57

I have taken him to see his doctor just to get her to check him since she was the one to see him last time and prescribed the steroid cream also to check that I was doing it correctly.
See forced it back in one very fast motion he screamed I feel bad because she hurt him quite badly. She just said sometimes you have to be a bit hard just to move things along more quickly and told me to retract him at least two times a day for a week then every day after that.
I had to get help to do it as he would not stay still and noticed some small splits at the very tip of his foreskin. I don't know whether I should put the cream on that part or wait for it to heal before applying it to that part.
What do you think?

Mano2020 · 07/10/2022 20:53

That sounds very sore. Should not be splitting. I would definitely get a second opinion. I went private and saw a urologist who prescribed the cream and was very knowledgable. He explained if the cream does not help by next year they will look at other options but the foreskin splitting or pushing back to which he feels pain is not right. I would definitely see if you can be referred to a urologist via your GP or if you can afford have a one off consultation with a specialist urologist who specialises in this field.

fhtshop · 07/10/2022 22:36

It retracts all the way now after she forced it all the way back it is still painful for him when I retract it not sure what a specialist could do for him now apart from a circumcision do you think now that it is fully retractable and with me doing it regularly he will start to get used to it being retracted and the pain will start to get less over time? Thanks for all your help and thoughts on this. I have no other mothers to talk to on this subject as their sons are circumcised.

olympicsrock · 08/10/2022 07:38

Hello - don’t put steroid cream on open wounds it delays wound healing .

Mano2020 · 09/10/2022 17:09

Hi,

Sorry for the late response.

As the previous poster said, do not apply the steroid cream on skin which is torn or sore. If you find the retracting is still painful in a couple of weeks and the cream is not helping then you will need to speak to your GP again.

We are going to monitor how we go for the next year and if it becomes difficult to retract then will have to look at other options. I have heard it becomes more difficult the older they get. Fingers crossed for both of them.

fhtshop · 09/10/2022 20:29

Thanks, His foreskin is starting to heal a bit now. It is still
painful for him I have to get his older sisters to hold him still when we do I am just hoping that with the cream and now that it fully retracts he will start to get used to it being retracted. What age was your boy when you were first able to fully retract him? I think I waited to go long before I took him to the doctors the first time.

Mano2020 · 10/10/2022 17:18

Bless him. Wishing him all the best. My little one was around 2 years old when it began to retract. We have to retract 3-4 times a week once a day and that keeps it from tightening. We found it began to tighten so had to use the cream again. I am hoping with age he learns to do this himself. Will have to see how he goes until next September. Please keep me posted about your little one x

fhtshop · 14/10/2022 18:28

Update. It has healed now but I still have to get help to hold him when we retract it he just keeps screaming and kicking. I have a neighbor that has a friend that had a similar problem as I have so she asked to see if they were having any luck sorting their son's problem. What they did was to retract him and leave it retracted for a few hours at a time so the skin would stay stretched for longer. They did say it was very uncomfortable and a bit painful for him in the first weeks but after about two months they could retract him with no trouble or pain at all. Do you think it may work and would be alright to do?

Mano2020 · 15/10/2022 08:27

I would not leave it retracted back. That can be very dangerous as it can remain back and get stuck and cause agony and also get infected. Best to check with your GP.

olympicsrock · 15/10/2022 10:05

Please DO NOT leave it retracted - if a tight band it will compromise the blood supply to the head of the penis.

doi - doctor.

fhtshop · 17/10/2022 14:58

Yes I was thinking that would be too painful to leave it open for that long. What I am thinking of trying is when he is in the bath retract land instead of closing it start after like I do at the moment just leave it retracted for maybe 5 to10 minutes. Do you think this is a better option as the warm water may make the skin more elastic?. How long do you keep your boy retracted?

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread