Cleaning penis/foreskin.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Ok think I'm completely stuck here.

Ds is 6 and I always just get him to wash his own bum and penis with soap, he has a bath every night more or less without faiI I have no idea what age boys are supposed to be able to wash underneath their foreskin but I do know that ds had an infection about a year ago and the doctor said that ds would just retract his foreskin in his own time.

Ds has just come running up to me asking what's this, he's basically got a creamy, smelly white discharge around the head of his penis and just underneath his foreskin, however he says he can only pull it back about 5mm until it hurts.

What am I supposed to do to get him to clean it?

[ilovepowerhoop]

sounds like smegma which can build up especially if the foreskin doesnt retract much.

www.uroinfo.ca/brochures_pediatric/foreskinCare.html

[greeneggsandjam]

I have no idea, my son is circumcised so I never had any issues. Can you check on the NHS website or post in Chat as more people will see it there?

[ilovepowerhoop]

does his penis look red or sore? If so it could be thrush. If not it could be smegma as I said above

[WeAllHaveWings]

no idea about cleaning as I just let it soak in bath and ds gave it a quick swish over with the sponge and he was lucky enough not to have any problems.

He didn't retract his foreskin until he was 8, nearly 9, I remember it well because he shouted me up to the toilet to show me...............

[PedlarsSpanner]

Sounds like Balanitis, he might need a fucidin type cream prescribed by GP to clear it. Is there a chalky deposit in his pants at the end of the day?

Wrt retracting, he will do in his own time. No manipulating it or trying to get him to soap it, just bathing is sufficient, the same as one would with a girl.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Thanks for the replies.

He had balanitis a year ago and it was red and sore. It's definitely not red now though, however ds has complained that his 'willy hurts', but not when he's weeing or anything just sat in maybe a funny position and only from time to time.

He sits in the bath for up to 20 minutes every evening playing and I get him to wash himself by just generally soaping himself up everywhere with a sponge or his hand.

Would you go to the GP? I'm thinking it's better to be safe than sorry, but also don't want to make a fuss and have ds having to be examined if it's something common.

I can only guess what it could be really though.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Oh and sorry, no nothing ever in his boxers that I've noticed.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

PS I have googled but there seems to be a lot of conflicting information on how boys should wash and also just comes up with smegma or an infection.

However I'm surprised if it's smegma as he bathes so frequently.

[BeanyIsPregnant]

My dp gets smegma, totally normal but he's got a cream to put on when it gets sore. So might be worth a quick trip to the docs? However, excessive washing may also contribute to over production of smegma.. Are you sure all of the soap and stuff is being washed away every day?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

I can't be 100% sure I suppose as I don't get too involved with him washing his bits. I literally wash his hair for him and his feet, then squirt a blob of kids shower gel onto a sponge or his hand and get him to lather up everywhere, then I leave him to play for however long until he's bored. I just assumed that the soaking would wash off any excess soap.

I only wash his hair/use soap every 3 days on the other days he just sits in a slightly bubbly bath.

He probably does spend too long in the bath but he loves his baths so much.

I'll take him to the doctors just to be on the safe side as it doesn't sound like something usual.

I've asked my mum and a friend with a boy and they've never had anything like this.