[ ARC forum 2 ]
Written by Vincent at 19 Feb 2001 16:41:15: Re: Young child with possible phimosis
As an answer to: Young child with possible phimosis written by Huenemann at 19 Feb 2001 12:42:04:
>I am writing on behalf on my 3 1/2 yr old, who cannot begin to retract his foreskin. His Dr here in Paris (France) says that the opening from which he pees is too small and he needs an operation. I am sceptical, and would not assume the non-retraction to be a problem yet, except that he complains of pain during urination and during his infrequent and only-recently-discovered erections (he is rather amazed at the whole thing).
I would think first to find out why he has the pain. Observe when he urinates and see if the foreskin is ballooning very badly so that his urine fills the foreskin faster than it can escape. If this isn't the case then the pain comes from something other than a narrow opening on the foreskin. Likewise, pain with erection may be from two reasons. Does he have a very short foreskin so that when he becomes stiff it is trying to pull open the narrow tip or, if that isn't the case and his foreskin is longer, then he may have some adhesions still under his foreskin and that is the discomfort that he feels. If he has adhesions, then with more and more erections and his natural manipulations of his foreskin, they will begin to resolve themselves. Are you able to stretch his foreskin out (away from his body) without pain? If that causes discomfort for him, then it is adhesions I believe.
That's my view from the Netherlands anyway. I would do some investigating on my own before I allow the doctor to do any kind of operation.