[ ARC forum 2 ]

Re: retraction problems

Written by bethat 09 Jul 2005 18:38:06:

As an answer to: Re: retraction problems written by GeoffB at 07 Jul 2005 14:24:06:

the doc suggested it after he predicted an infection (in addition to what he thinks are adhesions). He said try the antibiotic cream first, see how things go, then go back and see him after a while to determine whether we should do the steroid cream and stretching. Even with adhesions, will the skin eventually retract (when he's a teen) or should I do the steroid cream? Isn't there a chance it'll go back once again at some point? Or I guess I could remind him to pull the skin back daily???

That bleeding at the drop of a hat doesn't sound right. If it's that damaged then maybe adhesions have formed. I wonder what could have caused this? If it is a fungal or yeast infection then antibiotic cream may actually make it worse. Is the cream at the doctor's suggestion or your own?
>Geoff
>>>>My son is 6 1/2 and he had normal retraction at around 3. For a month or so now he has been competely tight and cannot retract his skin at all. The doc says these are adhesions and we could try steroid creams. If we just wait it out and don't use the steroid cream, will the skin eventually retract once again?
>>>>thanks
>>>Are you in Australia? Docs here seem to recommend steriod creams for young kids with tight foreskins but as far as I know they don't combine it with stretching. Steroid cream does nothing on its own without some stretching or pulling to break down the adhesions. Granted some kids do this naturally but some don't.
>>>If he could retract before I'm not sure about adhesions. He would have had to have some damage and/or an infection for adhesions to develop. He could just have had a fungal or yeast infection that has tightened things up or I've heard of boys who don't keep retracting having it tighten up.
>>>Have a look at these stretching instructions. http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=210347
>>>They are designed for older males but you will get some usefull insight into how it all works. See if you can get him to hold the foreskin opening shut with his fingers and pee in the shower. If it balloons evenly all round except underneath (at the fraenulum) then he probably doesn't have adhesions unless they are right near the foreskin opening.
>>>Ask about treatment for thrush or yeast infections (or you can try a suitable female cream from a chemist). If you think he's old enough to stretch try the steroid cream in conjunction with stretching. If not I would wait until he is old enough. Certainly resist all suggestions for circumcision at this age.
>>>Geoff
>>thanks geoff, we are in the US. The doc did say cream and stretch. But he was having redness/even blood coming out, so there might have been an infection that caused this. So we are now treating with antibiotic cream and waiting on the steroid/stretching. I just couldn't find many results on the internet about kids who retracted and then couldn't. Almost all I read is those who never retracted until teenagers. I guess we should wait this out... Every time he tries to pull back even gently, it bleeds. I feel bad for my little one but at least there is not much pain for now. I certainly don't want to circumcise!!!
>>thanks


Answers: