# Infection on 3 year old uncirc penis



## ssharon (Jan 19, 2008)

Oh, I am just so confused right now. I thought and still think you are not supposed to wash inside the penis at all--just wash the outside. My 3 year old complained this morning that his penis was burning so I took him to the ped. She pulled the foreskin back and completely exposed the head (or whatever you call it). She showed me that it was red and had some whitish pus on it. She said I need to be pulling it back like that to clean it and now she wants me to put a ointment on it to heal the redness and infection. I am also supposed to pull it back to apply the ointment. Has anyone else experienced this? What did you do? So far I have pulled it back twice today to apply the ointment, but he is obviously uncomfortable and from what I understand I should not be pulling it back. How do I apply the ointment though without pulling it back? I am in desperate need of some help here before I do any damage. I am just so worried about him healing--I don't want it to get any worse.

Thanks for any info you can provide.


----------



## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

The head should be redish purple and the white was most likely smegma.

You should not be retracting - you're correct.










I would stop the ointment and STOP retracting for sure.

-Angela


----------



## ssharon (Jan 19, 2008)

I am worried about the burning he says he is having though. Should I just place it on the outside and let it make it way up inside? Or should I use a q-tip to kinda put it inside a little. This ped has seen him since he was born and has never thought it looked infected so something is different about it. I am just really worried about my little guy.


----------



## Fellow Traveler (Jan 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ssharon* 
I am worried about the burning he says he is having though. Should I just place it on the outside and let it make it way up inside? Or should I use a q-tip to kinda put it inside a little. This ped has seen him since he was born and has never thought it looked infected so something is different about it. I am just really worried about my little guy.

Is it painful when he urinates or just generally? Sometime boys around your sons age can get a little soreness when they start the process of separation. Now I know you said the Doc and you retracted your sons foreskin but it might not be quite ready for that yet. One thing that has been mentioned for similar cases is a warm bath with some baking soda. Perhaps that will take the edge off.


----------



## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I wouldn't put antibiotic ointment on him at ALL unless the dr. cultured and you know there's something bacterial going on.

-Angela


----------



## ssharon (Jan 19, 2008)

I am not sure if it is when he urinates or just in general. He hasn't quite been clear about that.

She is having me use an over the counter ointment, Bacitracin, but she said we would go to a prescription antibiotic ointment if it didn't get better.

The only reason I took him in is because we are leaving town in the morning and I did not want him to be dealing with this while we are out of town. I would have waited if we were going to be in town.

I will hold off on the ointment and see what happens.

Has anyone dealt with an actual infection? What did you do? How did you treat it?


----------



## Fellow Traveler (Jan 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ssharon* 
I am not sure if it is when he urinates or just in general. He hasn't quite been clear about that.

She is having me use an over the counter ointment, Bacitracin, but she said we would go to a prescription antibiotic ointment if it didn't get better.

The only reason I took him in is because we are leaving town in the morning and I did not want him to be dealing with this while we are out of town. I would have waited if we were going to be in town.

I will hold off on the ointment and see what happens.

Has anyone dealt with an actual infection? What did you do? How did you treat it?

There are some who have dealt with this before hopefully one of them will pop in here soon for you. In the mean time, I might ask do you think it could be yeast rather than bacterial? That would make a difference in treatment


----------



## Lula's Mom (Oct 29, 2003)

Just echoing what others have said. That doctor is not treating your son properly. She shouldn't have retracted him, and she shouldn't be telling you that he needs an antibiotic without _knowing_ that he has a bacterial infection! If he does have an infection it could be yeast, which will be worsened by the use of antibiotics.

As a pp said, at his age there is often a day or two where the boy feels some pain. He may have some swelling. This is just due to the natural separation of the foreskin from the glans, and it goes away without treatment. Sometimes a baking soda bath helps with the discomfort. But it's natural and nothing to really worry about.

Your doctor probably has no idea what the glans of an intact boy looks like- it is a much more intense color than the glans of a circumcised penis. It can be bright reddish purple. The white stuff is almost certainly smegma, which is not dirty, and does not signal an infection at all.

If it _doesn't_ go away in a day or two, then he probably does have an infection. My money would be on yeast, because the foreskin does such a good job of protecting the penis from bacteria. If he has a yeast infection, an over-the-counter treatment like Monistat will clear it up.

Definitely don't retract him anymore. There is sticky about red, inflamed foreskins at the top that you may find helpful if this progresses.


----------



## PinkinPA (Feb 26, 2007)

I have dealt with this inmy ds (7) All I do is have him retract the foreskin WITHOUT separating the attached skin on the head and have him rinse his penis off under the shower or pour clean water from the faucet over him. Sometimes he looked a little inflamed and he did have an occasional complaint but it passes if you just rinse regularly. I think it is because of the natural retraction. I wouldn't worry unless he gets a fever and you do notice infection. I think sometimes people, even doctors, mistake natural smegma as being dirty.


----------



## l_olive (Jan 18, 2005)

Have you read this thread?

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

If not, I think it might be really helpful to you.


----------



## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Please read the thread that I olive bumped it really sounds like your ds is just going through normal seperation. He is at the age when we see this kind of post most often. Bacatracin is the best ointment to use, BUT only if your sure he had a bacterial infection if he has yeast then it will make it worse.

Another reminder if your ds isnt old enough to retract his own foreskin shoot even if he could retract on his own no one else should EVER retract him for any reason.


----------



## latinalonestar (Jan 26, 2008)

NO, Your son is not suffering from anything but an incompetent doctor. The glands are a purplish red b/c the blood is close to the surface. The white was probably just smegma. She should NEVER have retracted your son and she should not have prescribed an ointment without doing a culture. A culture can be taken from the outside, no retraction is necessary. You should stop the ointment b/c it could cause him to get a yeast infection. Give him a couple baking soda baths (1/4 cup in a bath) and don't retract him anymore. He will retract himself when he is ready and on his own. You might want to either A) bring some educational information to your doctor and tell her to never touch your son's foreskin again or B) fire her, find a foreskin friendly pedi, and mail her some educational info with a letter.

Sorry this happened to your poor baby.


----------



## ssharon (Jan 19, 2008)

Thank you so much for all the information. I feel much better about just giving it time. I feel better informed about what is going on. This has all been REALLY helpful.


----------

