Dr. Komarovsky about boys hygiene

Newborn boys require special care for their genitals. In matters of intimate hygiene in young members of the stronger sex, there are many nuances. Not always moms can consult a doctor, because some do not even realize that they are doing something wrong, while others are shy. Famous children's doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky tells what the proper and reasonable hygiene of boys should be.

His mother’s future health depends on how his mother organizes hygienic procedures to her young son. And we are talking not only about the reproductive function, but also about the normal state of the entire urogenital system. The boy's penis is much more different from the corresponding organ of an adult male. The foreskin of the kids tightly closed, completely or almost completely closing the head.

There, under reliable cover, we produce smegma - a special lubricant, the main feature of which is antibacterial. This is a substance that can destroy bacteria and other microorganisms if they fall under the foreskin.

The density of the junction of the foreskin prevents the entry of foreign bodies, she herself is extremely narrow and the ability to stretch will acquire much later under the influence of male sex hormones.

According to medical statistics, only 4% of newborn boys have extreme density of mobility.

For every fifth male child, the foreskin begins to open at 6-7 months. By the year the head of the penis opens in half of the children.

The rest of the majority of boys (90%), the foreskin begins to move and open the head of the penis to 3 years. Only a small number of boys have the problem of narrowing and inelasticity of the foreskin until adolescence.

We can speak about the pathological phimosis that needs treatment, not earlier than the boy’s puberty process is completed. Moreover, according to Komarovsky, only 1% of adolescents have phimosis by the age of 15-16, and in 98% of cases it is treated with the help of ointments and simple manipulations of stretching the foreskin. Thus, the need for surgical intervention in phimosis is extremely small, and fear of such a diagnosis (and the surgeons like to put it very much to the overwhelming majority of boys almost from birth) is not worth it.

Mom, especially with a small parental experience, gives advice to all and sundry. The grandmother insists that the grandson's sexual organ be opened as early as possible in order to wash it daily. A friend advises to do special exercises so that the opening happens as quickly as possible..

Medical practice shows that children whose mothers didn’t touch anything and didn’t open the head forcibly, problems arise much less than children whose mothers stretched and trained the foreskin.

The exceptions are cases when the boy had pain when urinating. But in this case the medical worker should open the head, and only to establish the true cause of the painful emptying of the bladder.

Wash the penis of the boy, which already has a head, should be as it is contaminated and without the use of soap. If unwashed fragments of toilet soap remain under the foreskin, there will be a serious chemical burn that will bring a lot of pain to the boy.

Properly washing the genitals means washing with soapy water rather than soap.and then rinse several times with plain clean water.

If the head of the penis has not yet opened, try to wash something under the foreskin is not worth it, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. Such actions of parents can only harm the child. It will be enough to flush the boy with soapy water externally followed by mandatory rinsing with plain clean water.

In case of inflammation, the conscience of the parents will be clear, because they cared! Either adults will necessarily begin to blame themselves for the fact that inflammation occurred due to their fault. Moms and dads should get rid of these psychological attitudes as quickly as possible, the doctor believes, without them it will be easier for everyone to live - both to his son and parents.

All mothers are concerned with the question of how often they should wash their little son, and whether it is necessary to use children's soap for this every time. Yevgeny Komarovsky argues that there is no need for soapy water with every wash, it is quite enough to wash the baby with soapy water once a day, during a large evening bath. During the day, flush the baby as needed with plain water. This need comes after each bowel movement, if the child is still wearing diapers and every 3-4 hours when changing a wet and filled diaper.

A child who goes to the pot or toilet, there is no need to wash the sexual organ during the day. Enough evening bathing with external washing of the penis with soapy water.

The circumcised boy needs more thorough hygienic care. The absence of the foreskin, the task of which is to protect the head from particles of feces and urine, is a weighty reason for not being limited to wet wipes and one-time washing. It is advisable to wash this child after each trip to the toilet.

In recent years, world medicine has changed its view on circumcision. This is not about religious manipulation. Previously, doctors considered circumcision beneficial to health. Now WHO officially declares that all previously praised positive aspects of this operation are unproven. Today, circumcision as a procedure for medical reasons is considered unnecessary.

When ingested fungal pathogens, as well as some bacteria, the child may experience redness and swelling of the foreskin, the discharge becomes yellowish or purulent. This condition may be a sign of postitis or balanoposthitis. In this case, the child should be flushed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, using a syringe without a needle, the inflamed foreskin can be smeared with antibiotic ointment, for example,Levomekolyu».

If it became painful for the little son to write, but there are no signs of inflammation on the penis, you should contact a nephrologist or urologist who will prescribe a treatment for cystitis. These same doctors should go with the child, if in addition to painful urination, there is a discharge of white or bloody nature, there are visible impurities of blood in the urine. This may be a sign of urethritis. In such diseases, hygiene of the intimate zone has its own nuances, which the doctor will tell at the reception, taking into account the nature of the pathology in this particular child.

If a child has a severe burning sensation and pain in the foreskin area some time after taking a bath, this may be a sign of chemical burn with soap left under the foreskin. It should immediately be very thoroughly rinsed the sexual organ with warm water.

Another dangerous condition is paraphimosis. It occurs in cases where a mother, after listening to the "good" advice to move and train the foreskin, shifts it down, but can no longer lift it back. In this case, the head of the penis is obtained naked and clamped foreskin bottom. This is fraught with the death of the organ, as necrosis of the glans penis leads to the amputation of the entire penis.

If the attempt to provide self-help was unsuccessful, you do not need to try to do it again, call "Ambulance."

The general hygiene of boys differs little from the hygiene of girls. For newborns, these are daily procedures:

• Washing, cleaning of a nose, ears;
• Daily bathing;
• Processing umbilical wound (before it dries).

To prepare for the collection of urine analysis the boy does not require any additional procedures, except for external washing.

A little boy needs quality diapers.

More information about the hygiene of boys will tell Dr. Komarovsky in the video below.