Children are often diagnosed with diseases of the external genital organs. Neither boys nor girls are immune from this. Balanaposthitis is an inflammatory process that occurs in the foreskin of male children. For any signs of illness, self-medication is unacceptable, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is not difficult to diagnose the disease because it causes the child a lot of discomfort.
Balanoposthitis is a common childhood disease
What is balanoposthitis
Inflammation of the foreskin in a child, which is called balanoposthitis, is a fairly common occurrence in infants under one year old. This disease is dangerous because:
- there is a general decrease in immunity against the background of the inflammatory process;
- the baby makes the act of urination with great difficulty, begins to feel bad and can lose weight;
- the inflammatory process in early childhood can cause infertility and inadequate sex life in adulthood;
- the chronic form of the disease is difficult to diagnose, since the symptoms are mild and the inflammation lasts for several months.
The most vulnerable are children between the ages of one and six months. Balanoposthitis is most often diagnosed in this age category.
Symptoms
In boys, inflammation of the foreskin is acute or chronic. In the second case, it can be almost asymptomatic. If the child's head turns red, this is already an alarming sign, it can become inflamed. There may also be a significant increase in lymph nodes in the groin. Among the most striking symptoms, the following signs should be noted:
- the penis is swollen;
- its tip turns red;
- discharge from the head appears, transparent or white, in the form of drops or dots;
- the child becomes very anxious and screams during urination because it is difficult for him to urinate;
- when the foreskin is pushed aside, a tumor on the pisyu is clearly visible;
- when palpating the penis, the baby experiences very painful sensations, because the head hurts and becomes inflamed.
All these symptoms indicate an acute period of the inflammatory process. The most important of them are swelling and redness, sometimes the head can itch. A timely visit to a doctor will help to make the correct diagnosis in time and prescribe treatment, the duration of which is from 7 to 14 days, depending on the age and general well-being of the child.
The disease gives the baby great discomfort
Causes of inflammation of the foreskin
Why does it occur in infants
If the child's foreskin is inflamed, the doctor will tell you how to treat it, the most important thing is to identify the cause of the disease, then it will be much easier to eliminate the symptoms. Among the main reasons are the following:
- non-compliance with hygiene rules;
- hypothermia of the child;
- weak immunity;
- lack of vitamins;
- hereditary predisposition.
Also, inflammation often appears as a complication after suffering from acute respiratory infections or flu.
Who is at risk
If the inflammation of the boy's pussy begins, treatment depends on the age of the baby and his state of health. This disease is most dangerous for children who are often sick or were born prematurely. Children who are underweight and undernourished infants are also at risk.
At risk are premature and debilitated babies
Attention! Inflammatory processes often occur in immunocompromised children. In this case, timely intake of immunomodulating drugs, as well as regular walks in the fresh air and taking vitamins, will help to avoid chronic illness.
Diagnostics and analyzes
Which doctor to contact
If the boy's head is inflamed, how to treat, the pediatric urologist or surgeon will tell you. Most often, head inflammation in a boy is treated with antibiotics. The following treatments are also possible:
- injections;
- the use of topical topical ointments to treat the swollen joint;
- the use of creams;
- surgical method - circumcision of the foreskin.
If the doctor proposes to have an operation, you should not be afraid - this is an intervention that does not require bed rest and is performed on an outpatient basis. Usually children tolerate this procedure normally. The main thing is to follow the rules of hygiene and care of the wound after the operation, then the skin will heal quickly.
Treatment is prescribed by a pediatric urologist
Child examination plan
To identify inflammation of the penis in a child, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination, before contacting a pediatrician. Next, the doctor gives directions for urine and blood tests, an ultrasound of the pelvic organs is done, and a specialist can also take a discharge from the penis for analysis. Based on the results of all examinations, the doctor diagnoses and prescribes antibiotic therapy to stop the inflammatory process.
Parents often ask what medications can be used to cure the baby. There is no strictly defined treatment code. According to Komarovsky, each patient needs an individual approach.
The examination is carried out in the clinic at the place of residence
Attention! Only morning urine can be taken for analysis. Before the child urinates, he needs to be washed. The urine is collected in a special sterile container purchased at a pharmacy and tightly closed with a lid.
How long does inflammation take
In the best case, if the disease is mild, you can completely cure balanoposthitis in a week. In some circumstances, if the disease has already become chronic, this may take three to four weeks. It all depends on how seriously the parents take the doctor's recommendations.
The average duration of treatment is ten days, this is how long the course of antibiotic therapy with injections or oral preparations lasts. The first option is preferable, since in this case the drug goes directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract, and the child does not have such an undesirable reaction to antibiotics as intestinal dysbiosis. Injections can be given at home or in the treatment room of a children's clinic. After recovery, the doctor may additionally prescribe the baby several physiotherapy sessions.
Complications and prognosis
If a child has an inflamed foreskin, parents should carefully follow all the prescriptions of doctors. If treatment is ignored, the child's fasting can become chronic. Complications can be as follows:
- drying out and pinching of the foreskin;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes in the groin area;
- infection in the genitourinary tract;
- kidney disease caused by infection.
If treatment is started on time, the prognosis will be favorable in most cases.
Prevention of penile inflammation
If a boy has penile inflammation, it is likely that the parents did not pay due attention to the child's hygiene. For the prevention of balanoposthitis, the following must be borne in mind:
- children after a year need to be potty trained as early as possible in order to reduce the time spent in diapers;
- breathable disposable diapers with good skin ventilation should be preferred;
- it is recommended to take a general analysis of urine and blood every three months in order to detect signs of an inflammatory process in time;
- while swimming, the boy's penis should be examined daily for swelling and redness.
Every six months (a month, 6 months and a year), you should undergo a routine examination by a pediatric surgeon and urologist. Also, before reaching the age of 1 year, you should visit a pediatrician every month - during the examination, the doctor will not only listen to the baby, but also look at his genitals, especially if there are any complaints.
You should also monitor the color of the child's urine daily. If the urine has acquired a cloudy or pinkish color, this is a characteristic sign of a developing inflammatory process. In this case, you should urgently pass urine for analysis to determine a bacterial infection. Normal urine should be golden yellow and almost clear.
If your child is worried when urinating or touches his or her penis frequently, a doctor should be consulted. Itching and redness of the genitals are often caused not by inflammation, but by allergic reactions that arise from insect bites, contact with aggressive detergents and improper diet. In this case, antibacterial treatment will not be effective; instead of antibiotics, antihistamines should be used in a dosage that corresponds to the age and condition of the baby.
It is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis of "balanoposthitis" at home without the help of a doctor, since there are a lot of inflammatory diseases of the external genital organs in children that have approximately the same symptoms.
In order for the child not to suffer from diseases of the genital organs, parents should pay special attention to hygiene. The baby should be bathed daily. It is unacceptable to keep the baby in a full diaper for a long time. The more time the baby spends without diapers, the better - good ventilation of the skin prevents the development of inflammatory processes.
