Episode 4 of Mother Doctor Nurse – ‘Boy bits’, has dropped and there were a lot of questions around foreskins – including when they should retract, why you should never forcibly retract them, and what to do once they are naturally able to retract.
As Deb outlined in response to a question about whether you should retract and wash your baby’s foreskin regularly;
“You should never, ever retract your child’s foreskin. The majority of baby boys are actually born with their foreskin quite tight. So that’s non-retractable and that’s entirely normal. Only by the teenage years do they normally retract fully. But we say by around about ten years of age, about 50% of children’s foreskin will retract on its own. But until it’s retracting on its own, naturally, just leave it alone.“
Why is this so important?
If your little one’s foreskin is stuck, this is considered a medical emergency. As Sarah explains;
“The reason that you do need to go to the hospital is that if it is stuck [foreskin], then there can be a whole lot of issues that can come from that. Particularly, what we worry about is if it’s really tight around the head of the penis, it can cause compromise with circulation. You know, certainly, it’s not something that you want to go and forcibly try and pull that foreskin back over. Not only is it going to cause a significant amount of trauma for your child, but it’s also incredibly painful. That is something that you really need to leave to the medical professionals. So don’t wait around. Really important straight off to the doctor to get that seen.”
At what age should I be concerned about a foreskin not naturally retracting?
This one really depends on the situation! As outlined by Deb; “Typically speaking, we talk closer to puberty in a child is otherwise well [but foreskin not naturally retracting]. If you have a child who, for example, is getting frequent urinary tract infections or other genital infections… then we may actually bring that review forward.”
Of course, as always – seek medical advice if you are ever concerned for any reason.
And what about once it is naturally retracting?
Once the foreskin is naturally retracting, it is important that it is kept clean, regularly.
“Once that is actually retracting normally by itself, it’s important that when they’re in the shower that they do gently pull that back, give it a clean but really important that they do replace the foreskin back over the top when they’re done.”
Avoid using harsh detergents or soaps as they can cause irritation. Sarah goes on; “if you are using any soap, make sure that it is thoroughly rinsed off with just a soft flannel, wiping over all surfaces.”
Episode 5 of ‘Mother Doctor Nurse’ will answer your questions on ‘girl bits’. Submit your questions here, and tune in (wherever you listen) on March 6 when the episode drops.
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