# HELP! 18 month old penis bleeding + Dr says his penis looks abnormal



## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Please help.

I don't want to do a Google search on this because it always scares me. I thought I might ask you guys first because at least you share my beliefs regarding circumcision.

Background - DS#2, Sebastian has not been circumcised and I would say he has a bit more foreskin than other boys, but nothing shocking IMO. DS#1 also did, but now at age 5 it looks ok. Sebastian's old pediatrician never noticed anything wrong with his penis.

Sebastian had a kind of a rash on his foreskin last week and the tip got kind of weird and white looking. It went away after 2 days, and I assumed it must have been something I did wrong in the diaper laundry.

Today there was a little blood on his diaper and on the tip of his penis. I took him to the Dr. who said that the bleeing was probably due to the rash, so no biggy there. However, he said that he wanted us to take DS to a urologist because he has: "Foreskin Adhesion and Abnormal Mega-Meatus"

Do you guys know exactly what that means? I kind of have an idea, but it freaks me out... Isn't it too early to do anything about it yet? I mean, he is just a baby... My brother was circumcised at age 5 because the Dr. said he had a problem with his foreskin - I think it was really unecessary though









I am kind of scared and don't want people messing with my baby's penis for no reason. I will definetely take second opinions after I learn more about here and other natural family living sites...

And about the rash and bleeding... has it happened to your babies?? What can I do?


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## mommymarliah (Jun 29, 2004)

I'm not an expert but from the diagnosis it sound slike the are trying to say the head of his penis is too large for the forskin to retract (well some kids don't retract until puberty so that sounds like a bogus diagnosis to me). Does it look like the bleeding is from the rash? If so its probably just a bad case of diaper rahs, my boys get sores sometimes that get very cracked and irritated and even bleed (I have yet for them to get those on their penis but I'm sure its possible). Again I am no expert but is sounds like the doc is blowing things WAY out of proportion....I'm sure Frank will have some good information for you, he's the man!


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## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

First I have to ask, has your son's foreskin been retracted? It should not be and that could be the cause of the bleeding. Read my stickies at the top of the forum. A diagnosis of mega meatus means that your son has a large meatus or urinary opening and it would seem that the only way the doctor could know this is if he had forcibly retracted your son's foreskin. Mega meatus would indicate that your son has a very mild case of hypospadius. This is an birth defect where the urethra and urinary opening does not completely form. From the way you describe it, it doesn't sound serious enough to warrant any medical intervention.

There is also something called mega prepuce which means that the foreskin is very long. This is a rare condition and can not be diagnosed in a child this young. Almost all young boys have foreskins that appear quite long and they grow into them so that they fit perfectly.

The blood is not necessarily something to worry about. When separation of the foreskin from the glans begins, it is not an even process and there will be areas that are adhered and areas that are loose. The child's normal erections can pull at these still adhered spots and can cause very small tears on the glans or foreskin. There may be a small amount of blood, a drop or two. It may appear to be more because it can mix with urine drops that remain in the urethra or foreskin tip and spread to appear more than it really is.

At this point, I would not be concerned at all with the mega meatus or mega prepuce. If it's the former, it will probably not need medical intervention and if it does, it can wait until after your son is retractile. If it's mega prepuce, the chances are about 99.8% that he will grow into it and will be absolutely normal. If he's only had one episode of blood spots in his diapers, I'd also say do nothing. We've had several reports of that here and everything was fine the next day. If there are additional episodes, then you may need to have it evaluated by another physician.

I say another physician because there are supposed to be adhesions between the foreskin and glans in young boys. They are there in all intact boys and they may be there up until his teen years. They will eventually resolve on their own and need absolutely no help from a doctor to do so. Unfortunately, this doctor has shown his ignorance from this statement and you have to ask yourself "If he is ignorant and wrong about this, what other more serious things could he be ignorant and wrong about? Could he endanger my child's health and life?" That's a reasonable concern and legitimate question for a parent.

Frank


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! That's the kind of detailed info I needed.

I asked DH to drive Sebastian to the Dr's office because I am just too sensitive to these things (could barely look at the little spot of blood this morning). When he came home and told me Sebastian had an abnormal penis, I was surprised because nobody had never found it abnormal before! Now, after we read your post, he was sorry to say the Dr. did pull the skin back














Poor baby!!

I am going to watch out for any further bleeding, but I am 99% sure is the rash. And as to the other diagnosis, I am definetely waiting until he gets older to look into that if nothing weird happens until then. I am afraid they will mess with his penis again if I take him now - I doubt most of the Drs. here are used to examining intact boys...


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## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

It's just about a lead pipe cinch that the doctor tore one of the adhesions causing the blood. It should heal up just fine in a few days.

Please read my sticky at the top of the forum "A Warning for Parents of Intact Sons."

Here's wishing your son better luck and a speedy recovery!

Frank


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## cbutler75 (Sep 27, 2004)

I thought she said the blood was already there prior to the doctor visit?

Perhaps you should keep your appointment or make one with a urologist for a consultation. I was very surprised that the urologist we took our son to did not want to jump into any kind of surgery and simply pointed out what was normal, what was not and how to take care of things. Honestly, from our experience I would say the urologist knows abit more about how to take care of boy parts better than a general pediatrician. Apparently, though we got a really good Doctor when we went, and your situation is different, so it may not turn out the same. However, I would always follow up with sound medical advice as well as considering what you learn on boards like this and through your own research.

BTW, try to find a pediatric urologist, as they are better suited for your son's case. We have CHKD near us, so we got lucky with not having to search for one.

Christine


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## Heavenly (Nov 21, 2001)

"However, I would always follow up with sound medical advice" I know you're new here but a lot of us here don't think medical advice IS all that sound. My children have never been vaccinated and have only been to a doctor one each and they are perfectly fine.


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## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

Christine:

We have seen all kinds here, both the good and the bad. The best advice is to take what the doctor says and research, research, research. Confirm or disprove what they say. We live in a time that is unique to all that has been before. It wasn't long ago that we didn't have the internet to be able to take the extra step in protecting our children. There is still some of the old thinking around that "The doctor is always right." We have seen so many instances right here that we absolutely know that is not right. That seems to be especially so when it comes to little boys and their urinary/reproductive systems. The profession has an attitude adjustment in order and a lot of catching up to do.

Frank


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## cbutler75 (Sep 27, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cbutler75*
I would always follow up with sound medical advice as well as considering what you learn on boards like this and through your own research.


That's why I named 3 avenues, what Doc has to say, what people on the boards do (since u learn from others experiences), and from research.









Believe me, I KNOW all to well doctors can be DEAD wrong, litterally at times. My SIL is laying up in a second hospital right now after the doctors in the first couldnt correct a problem with a cyst on her labia after 7 attempts. She finally lost trust and the docs at the new hospital were appauled by what they saw when she had herself transfered there. Especially since she had a very life threatening infection from her previous hospital stay. (Lawsuit will be pending soon) I also know that sometimes we as parents dont know what is going on and need someone who can actually lay eyes on what is happening and maybe steer us in the right direction, or at least in a direction where we can do the research ourselves. Believe me, I was in no way saying Doctor knows best. Remeber, that's why I came here to begin with.









Christine


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

Yes, the bleeding was there before the consulation, so I agree that it was a result of the rash. But so far there has been no more bleeing, and even the rash itself is beginning to get better already.









However, I agree with Frank that the very fact that the Dr. mentioned the "adhesion" as something that should be treated shows the Dr. does not know what he is talking about. And Sebastian is only 18 months and from what I have seen with my 5 year old, everything turned out just fine after some years. So, I really feel it is best to wait since it is too early to get any sound diagnosis of anything anyways..

I did a lot of reading last night after reading the responses. Almost every single site from the US that I found talks about the benefits of circumcision and all the problems that can happen if you don't. I was baffled and came to the conclusion that odds are, most Drs. here probably agree with that, so I am not really feeling like running to a regular Dr.

DH is a Dane and we lived there until 2 years ago. NEVER EVER did I hear o circumcision as an option and all Drs make sure to tell you NOT to pull the foreskin back. I am going to try to find my Danish baby book and look up some Danish websites to see what they say.

I definetely think though that a lot of a Drs. decision is based on what he is used to see and read wherever he lives. I find that in Scandinavia, medicine is in general more NFL friendly.


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## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

There is no doubt it can feel like you're wading into a quagmire when you start trying to research this issue. I can't think of another issue other than politics where there is more spin and false information passed out as fact and truth or where those involved are more chauvinistic in their beliefs.

Frank


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Frankly Speaking*
There is no doubt it can feel like you're wading into a quagmire when you start trying to research this issue. I can't think of another issue other than politics where there is more spin and false information passed out as fact and truth or where those involved are more chauvinistic in their beliefs.

Well, medial recs about breastfeeding come darn close. Progress is so slow. The artificial baby milk cos are so powerful and evil.


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## Frankly Speaking (May 24, 2002)

Yep, corporate fortunes are involved there. Money is a powerful motivator and some people will sell your children out for their McMansions and luxury cars.

Frank


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## Acksiom (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Frankly Speaking*
I can't think of another issue other than politics where there is more spin and false information passed out as fact and truth or where those involved are more chauvinistic in their beliefs.


A bit OT, but I know of one:

Domestic Violence.


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