help needed from moms of boys: penile adhesion concerns

[gilliesgal]

I've gone back and done a search on this issue and know that some of you moms have gone through this with your DSs. . .

My little guy seems to have had too much foreskin left on during his circ (something I think I'm beginning to regret) and has had some issues with adhesion. My ped around our 2-3 month exam explained that I should be retracting his foreskin and cleaning. She was forceful with him in the exam room, leaving him in tears and with a very red penis. Having witnessed that, I wasn't exactly inspired to put DS through that on a regular basis -- not realizing that if I didn't, I would actually be causing more problems.

Fast forward to DS at 14 months. . . ped has had to give DS her "hand-job from hell" as DH describes it nearly every appointment, despite my efforts to prevent problems from occurring. I have been trying to do my best, but I think I might have a pretty serious adhesion problem with DS right now. I've scheduled an appt. to go in tomorrow to have her look at it but I'm DREADING seeing DS in pain.

Here are my questions:

1) Would an adhesion resolve itself over time if just left alone?? I'm wondering if all this pulling and tugging and re-exposing of raw skin is actually making matters worse and that the adhesion might just go away over time on its own.

2) Is there a chance that DS might have to get re-circumcised?? If I heard those words from my ped's mouth I would DIE. I won't do it. I think I really regret doing it the first time and would NEVER put him through that again.

I'd love to hear any stories/advice from moms who went the "leave it alone" route successfully.

I feel like I'm letting DS down!

Thanks-
Kellie

[deenass]

I/m not sure what the actual definition of a "penile adhesion" is, but I will tell you that my son's circumcision healed with some "scar tissue" (maybe an adhesion, like I said don't know the proper definition). He's ped told me repeatedly that it would resolve itself over time (his erections would take care of it). DH kept bugging me about it, asking if it was a real problem or just a cosmetic one (which in his mind equated to "real problem).

Finally, at his 3 year appt I asked the ped about it again. She said that if it hasn't resolved itself already that he would need some type of procedure to correct it. She referred us to a urologist who confirmed that it was not "functional" problem, merely a cosmetic one that could be rectified with a small procedure (which would require general anesthesia) or we could wait until he was older and it could be done with a local anesthesia.

DH & I decided to wait. I figure, if at some point, the "look" of it bothers him, we'll deal with it when he can just get a local anestehic vs being put under. (FWIW, urologist recommended doing it now vs later so that it wouldn't "affect" him as much.)

Not sure if that answers your question, but if I were you, I'd go see a urologist and get his/her opionion if for no other reason than to eas your mind.

[Radosti]

I do the pull back and clean out pretty often, almost every bath time. I found that I don't do it as often as when I used Desitin on his hiney for diaper rash prevention. The Desitin would get on the penis and I'd clean it off every day in the tub. We've not had any diaper rash for a while, so that kind of drifted into "every time I remember". We ended up with adhesions.

We still have some adhesions, but I've taken to pulling on the skin a bit here and there during diaper changes. A lot of times, a bit of the adhesion pops off leaving an angry looking spot, but DS doesn't care and giggles the whole time (I'm guessing b/c it tickles). I always pull back the skin to let it heal without re-adhering. When that heals, I pull a bit more on the other side and that pops off and heals. DS is never distressed by this even a bit and the adhesions pop off rather easily. This leads me to believe that the ped knew what she was saying by telling me that they'll pop off once he starts getting erections. I just want to make sure it turns out fine, so I am correcting it here and there. We're almost back to the way it should look, however, his big fat pad retracts his entire penis inside, so it's hard to keep it from getting adhesions.

[gilliesgal]

Thanks for the shared experiences! My daycare woman and I actually talked about this for the first time today. . . which was so funny. Her boys are not circ'd, but she's taken care of boys who are. For the first time, I've confirmed that she does do the pullback and clean out thing with every diaper change. She expressed concern that DS seems to always be retracted, which is significantly different than the other little guys she watches. I told her that I thought it was b/c the doc performing the circ left on more foreskin than usual. Maybe his "fat pad" has something to do with it, too? I don't know.

My DH actually doesn't seem to think that there is an adhesion right now. Which confuses me. . . . b/c I'm certain that 1) I don't see the edge of the glan (the helmet) when I pull back and 2) I've seen our ped pull back much farther than we are. Also, I'm confused that DH doesn't seem to not see the edge like I think I don't see it. If anyone should know what we are/aren't seeing, shouldn't it be him?!?
I'm not as familiar with this equipment as he is!!!!!

I knew it would be easier having a girl. . . now anyway. . . .

Fingers crossed our adhesion just "pops" too! I'm scared to have our ped yank it free tomorrow and cause him so much pain. I want to tell her up front before she lays a finger on him that if she does think it is adhered, that I want to know if there is a less painful way to rectify it.

anymore stories anyone????

[Radosti]

My ped does not yank it free. She said for us to do it a bit at a time as her yanking it will be very distressing to him. If you do not see the edge of the glans, you have adhesions. My DH doesn't even pull it back at diaper changes, so how would he know. He's such a chicken... bah!!! But it really does resolve pretty easily. Do not worry, just get into a routine of pulling it back a bit at a time to make the adhesions pop off. Don't let your ped yank on it. it's too much all at once.

[gilliesgal]

Now I'm wondering if I should cancel my appointment for tomorrow so she won't yank it. Sounds like you have a nicer, more sensitive ped than we do! I don't see the edge of the glans. I really don't understand why my DH thinks that he does. I know I don't.

I'll work with it some more to see if I can get it to "pop". . .

(I can't help but wonder if DS is going to have "issues" as a result of his mom pulling and tugging on him all the time!!!!)

-Kellie

[Radosti]

Hehe, I got over that worry, he won't remember it :) I wouldn't cancel the appt, just state that you don't want it yanked.

[nbrackman]

My son is also circumcised (religious reasons) and has had adhesions.

My pediatrician said to just leave it alone. Yanking on it and causing the skin to separate will just cause more trauma for no real gain right now. Their penises grow and change as they get older anyway. The adhesions are the skin trying to heal itself and the yanking etc. can cause infection.

Don't let your ped yank on your baby at all. If you're concerned, take him to a urologist as a pp said and tell that doc to merely LOOK and TELL first before touching and pulling.

My best friend is also a pediatrician, trained in the UK where circumcision is fairly rare. She said to just leave it alone; the penis will clean itself when washed normally as you would any other body part, much as a baby girl's vagina will. Her kids are also circ'ed (also religious reasons) but she never retracts adhesions.

Good luck!

[Joolsplus2]

Good course to follow...leave it alone.

(((Hugs))) to all the mamas who have had to put their little guys through this pain.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[gilliesgal]

Just an update. . . leaving to go to the ped in an hour or so. Going to tell her before we take off DS's diaper that I would like her opinion on my preferred option - leaving it alone. I plan to tell her that I don't want to actually have her do anything today but look at it. I am on the fence about her and have been for awhile. If she tries to strong-arm me on this, as opposed to hearing me out and respecting my concerns, I'm switching doctors.

The fact that she's retracted and hurt him before without discussing what's happening and why has me greatly disturbed.

Wish me luck!

-Kellie

[Radosti]

Kellie,

Good luck and don't let her strong arm you into anything you aren't comfortable with.

[gilliesgal]

I'm back!!!! She was great and very reassuring. I made her promise she wouldn't do anything drastic. She took a look and said that it wasn't that bad and we should just leave it alone, while continuing to pull back as far as we can w/o hurting him and apply vaseline. I've been using Aquaphor. I wonder if vaseline would be better/different?

She said no way would she suggest re-circumcising him. Thank goodness!!

I feel sooo much better and am glad we kept the appointment.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences and encouragement!

I am so glad little DS is fast asleep right now and not in any pain!

-Kellie

[Radosti]

Yeah!!! I'm glad it all worked out. Vaseline is what we used in the beginning after circ. I'm sure Aquaphor is fine.

[casey0729]

Our ped informed us that it will not correct itself until DS is out of diapers because the diaper "squooshes" the penis constantly. When he starts wearing regular underwear, no more squooshing, and it will rectify itself. She told us that we will have to monitor it until then. Not anything crazy like yanking it, but the first diaper change of the day, we pull it back gently and put vaseline on it.

hth

KC

[Joolsplus2]

phew!
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[american_mama]

Kellie:

No personal experience to share becaus I have girls, but the circumcision question and related topics like adhesions comes up quite frequently in the Lounge forum. You could do a search there. I believe most people there say just leave it alone.

[JBaxter]

Kellie
We had the same issue w/ DS2. I believe they refer to thay type of circ as a loose circ. From what I read it is better to have the loose circ as an adult. We left it alone. Feel free to pm/email me off the boards if you'd like.

[tg_canada]

I tried to send you a PM, but it says you have disabled your profile. You may want to check out the circumcision board on the Mothering forums. It is a pro-intact board but there are many very knowledgable folks there who would be happy to help with the troubles you are having with your son's circ. PM me if you want a direct link to the forum (I am not sure if I am allowed to post it here).

You are doing the right thing by investigating what should be done rather than blindly following your ped! Good job mama!

[gilliesgal]

My profile is unhidden now. . . . send away! Thanks!

-Kellie

[tg_canada]

>My profile is unhidden now. . . . send away! Thanks!
>
>-Kellie

Done!

[gilliesgal]

Thanks! I just realize that I have seen this forum before during some of my earlier searches. Glad to have found it again! Thank you!

-Kellie

[walmin22]

>Kellie
> We had the same issue w/ DS2. I believe they refer to thay
>type of circ as a loose circ. From what I read it is better
>to have the loose circ as an adult. We left it alone. Feel
>free to pm/email me off the boards if you'd like.

This post makes me feel like I'm not alone. If you don't mind can you tell me where you have read about loose circs?
Thanks


Mary
http://b3.lilypie.com/Ri0Sm4/.png[/img][/url]
http://b1.lilypie.com/GVeHm4/.png[/img][/url]