# Uncircumcised 2.5-year-old boy with painful urination - help!



## angeldawn333 (Feb 22, 2008)

My uncircumcised son has been experiencing painful urination for the past few days, and I'm not sure how best to help him. He started complaining about his penis hurting when he peed while we were traveling a few days ago and then started holding his urine and not peeing for hours. When he does pee now, he cries and only puts a little drop in the potty. He then holds it as long as he can and then usually has an accident on the floor when he can no longer contain his bladder. He seems to be in good spirits otherwise and only in pain when he pees. The tip of his penis is a bit red and I saw a tiny bit of dried blood on his underwear last night. We saw a doctor as soon as we got back home, and he said he thinks it's most likely an irritation of the foreskin and that we should just rinse his penis with water and dry it every time he pees and the problem will most likely resolve in a few days. I also just collected and dropped off a sample of my son's urine at the lab to test for possible infection. I have absolutely no experience before now in dealing with male urinary tract problems and am looking for information and advice from someone who has been there. Is this common with uncircumcised boys? Does the doctor's advice seem prudent? Is there anything else we can do to help him? Thanks in advance.


----------



## carriebft (Mar 10, 2007)

Wow, your doctor is awesome!

He is right; most likely it is irritation due to the separation process. The foreskin gradually becomes retractable...when this happens, sometimes some areas become retractable before others, exposing some raw areas which can become sensitive to urine. My advice would be to have him pee in a warm bath or into a warm cup of water until this passes.

There is a chance it is an infection-- continue to watch for he signs as you await the culture results-- fever, pus, etc.

Oh and check this thread out-- lots of good info:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=764732


----------



## Fellow Traveler (Jan 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *angeldawn333* 
My uncircumcised son has been experiencing painful urination for the past few days, and I'm not sure how best to help him. He started complaining about his penis hurting when he peed while we were traveling a few days ago and then started holding his urine and not peeing for hours. When he does pee now, he cries and only puts a little drop in the potty. He then holds it as long as he can and then usually has an accident on the floor when he can no longer contain his bladder. He seems to be in good spirits otherwise and only in pain when he pees. The tip of his penis is a bit red and I saw a tiny bit of dried blood on his underwear last night.

Angeldawn, just so that you are aware, the things you describe sound like the foreskin is separating from the glands not infection. This happens in different ways and at different rates for different boys at different ages. Although it seems your son's age is typical for this to occur. This process may or may not include soreness and some discomfort along with possible discharge of smegma. Any soreness or discomfort would abate within 24 to 48 hours and may reoccur from time to time as the separation process doesn't always occur in one go. Different sections may free themselves at different times (This is in part how the multiple infection myth got started and persists).

Generally, those who have posted discussing similar issues report that if their sons were experiencing painful urination, doing so in a warm bath seemed to help. With respect to your specific situation it sounds like it could be more than just 'separation'. I think you did just fine getting the urine sample but you may also want to have a culture done just to be sure there isn't an infection.

There is usually a recent thread (with substantial content) that discusses this issue such as this thread , this thread, and this tread. Follow some of the links provided in those threads and there will also be a few other posters who might be able to provide more details. Dr. Fleiss's article also discusses it further.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *angeldawn333* 
We saw a doctor as soon as we got back home, and he said he thinks it's most likely an irritation of the foreskin and that we should just rinse his penis with water and dry it every time he pees and the problem will most likely resolve in a few days.

This is some of the best advice I've seen from a doctor accompanying a post like yours. He didn't go right for the knife or suggest retracting and scrubbing or any of that. I don't think it is necessary to rinse and dry but I don't see how it could hurt. Perhaps have him pee while in the bath (see above). Basically, like the doc said keep an eye on it for the next few days if it gets noticeably worse, he develops a fever, or urination's becomes restricted take him in.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *angeldawn333* 
I also just collected and dropped off a sample of my son's urine at the lab to test for possible infection. I have absolutely no experience before now in dealing with male urinary tract problems and am looking for information and advice from someone who has been there. Is this common with uncircumcised boys? Does the doctor's advice seem prudent? Is there anything else we can do to help him? Thanks in advance.

The urine sample was a good idea, you might also want to have a culture done too. The doctor basically said watch and wait, this is very prudent and not too bad coming from an American doc.

Hope this helps I am sure others will contribute.

ETA: Others have pointed out before that sometimes this irritation may also be due to soaps (body and clothes) that may have started to become irritating.


----------



## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

If it's seperation, some smegma may come out. It is often confussed with pus, but it is normal, natural and harmless.

You mentioned you were out of town. Long car rides strapped into car seats can be irratating. The strap that goes up between the legs can cause friction.


----------



## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Angeldawn333*
My uncircumcised son has been experiencing painful urination for the past few days, and I'm not sure how best to help him. He started complaining about his penis hurting when he peed while we were traveling a few days ago and then started holding his urine and not peeing for hours. When he does pee now, he cries and only puts a little drop in the potty. He then holds it as long as he can and then usually has an accident on the floor when he can no longer contain his bladder.


I suspect this may be a bladder infection from the symptoms you describe. I've had them before and this description matches my symptoms exactly. With medication, my symptoms disappeared within a day.

Quote:

The tip of his penis is a bit red and I saw a tiny bit of dried blood on his underwear last night.

Yep, I had what looked like dried blood but acutally, it was not blood. It stuck the end of my penis to my underwear and it was slightly painful when I pulled it apart. That is probably what is causing the redness at the tip.

Quote:

I also just collected and dropped off a sample of my son's urine at the lab to test for possible infection.

This was exactly the right thing to do. Sometimes, making a correct diagnosis is ruling out the possibilities. With this test, you can either verify an infection or rule it out and thus have an answer.

Quote:

Is this common with uncircumcised boys? Does the doctor's advice seem prudent? Is there anything else we can do to help him? Thanks in advance.

It is not significantly different regardless of circumcision status. While I applaud the doctor for being so knowledgeable, I would have also collected a urine sample. Of course, I wasn't there and didn't see what he/she saw so I'm being something of an armchair quarterback here.

The best thing you can do until the urinanalysis comes back is to get as much fluid in him as possible to dilute the urine and the salt, acid and other components that may be causing his pain. This will force him to void more often flushing his system. If he will take it (I personally hate it) I would recommend cranberry juice possibly mixed with apple juice or another juice.

Let us know what happens.

Frank


----------



## angeldawn333 (Feb 22, 2008)

I just wanted to say thank you to all those who replied to my post. Your responses, as well as this forum in general, have done much to educate me. The lab tests were negative for bacteria, so my son did not have an infection. Within a few days of my post he was back to normal. I think that it was, indeed, just irritation either caused by being in the carseat too much during our trip or by the normal anatomical changes posters described. I am so happy that he is feeling better-and that I know so much more about what to expect in the future. The links and information you provided are excellent! Thanks again. I'll be checking back in here, I'm sure.


----------



## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Thanks so much for updating! And I'm glad your little man is better.


----------

