home Endocrinology Treatment of balanitis and balanoposthitis in a child. Inflammation of the foreskin in children: symptoms and treatment. Principles of development of balanitis

Treatment of balanitis and balanoposthitis in a child. Inflammation of the foreskin in children: symptoms and treatment. Principles of development of balanitis

Balanoposthitis is an inflammation of the glans and foreskin of the penis. This disease can be acute or chronic. In general, children are more susceptible to the disease than adult men.

Causes

Most often, balanoposthitis in children occurs due to basic non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. Various microflora live on the skin - staphylococci, streptococci, etc. They can easily penetrate the preputial sac if personal hygiene is neglected.

In babies, the disease can occur due to infrequent diaper changes, their improper use, as well as poor-quality hygiene products, poor washing, and forced exposure of the head of the penis.

Often the disease occurs in children due to narrowing of the foreskin. In this case, fatty lubricant mixed with dead epidermal cells stagnates, which contributes to inflammation of the head of the penis and foreskin.

Balanoposthitis in children can also develop due to certain diseases:

obesity;
endocrine diseases;
vitamin deficiency;
hypothermia;
frequent injury, including rubbing with tight underwear.

Improper use of medications can also cause balanoposthitis. For fungal infections, the antibiotic environment is an excellent area for active reproduction.

Symptoms

The signs of balanoposthitis are the same in both children and adults. The skin of the foreskin and the head of the penis turn red, and purulent discharge appears. Severe itching begins in the groin. There is a general feeling of malaise. The lymph nodes in the groin are enlarged. In the morning there is a burning sensation in the penis. The foreskin swells. If the disease continues to progress, the skin of the penis peels off, after which erosion begins. Difficulty urinating may occur, sometimes the temperature increases and weakness appears throughout the body.

Symptoms appear within the first five days after infection. During this time, sometimes the head opens and spontaneous clearing of smegma begins. In this case, the symptoms disappear. If treatment is not started immediately, the disease may become chronic, and the appearance of scar formations and whitish deposits on the foreskin is possible. Pathological phimosis occurs.

Purulent form

Purulent balanoposthitis in a child develops due to the inflamed foreskin or head of the penis. The disease affects the inner layer of the foreskin. When it is completely narrowed, urine and smegma stagnate. The infection begins to spread and suppurate. Inflammation can be caused by staphylococci, yeasts, streptococci, allergic reactions, and poor hygiene.

Illness in a newborn

Balanoposthitis in children often occurs after birth. Due to inflammation, the head of the penis swells and pain appears. Kids become restless. The disease occurs due to parents' attempts to open the head of the penis. Because of this, the skin breaks and infection gets into the wounds. Infrequent diaper changes and bathing children in bubble baths can also lead to illness.

First, the child experiences redness and swelling, and sometimes blueness of the head of the penis. Rashes appear. When changing diapers, diaper rash is noticeable, which does not disappear even after powders and creams.

Balanoposthitis in infants

In infants, the disease can begin due to poor hygiene and phimosis. The foreskin and head of the penis turn red. Ulcers and erosions appear. A short frenulum can also provoke the disease.

Balanoposthitis in adolescents

The disease begins with swelling and hyperemia of the foreskin and head of the penis. Severe itching and burning occur. When urinating, pain appears and body temperature rises. If the disease is neglected, cicatricial phimosis may subsequently form and infection of the genitourinary system may occur.

Acute form

Acute balanoposthitis in children can occur due to infectious diseases. But mainly due to poor personal hygiene. The disease can occur due to rubbing of the head of the penis by tight underwear.

At the early stage of acute balanoposthitis, redness of the penis, whitish or yellowish purulent discharge, hyperemia and swelling of the penis begin. Urination becomes difficult. The temperature rises to 37.5 degrees. How to treat balanoposthitis in a child at an early stage? For this, warm baths with herbal infusions are enough.

In the acute form of the disease, one must not allow it to become chronic, as this can also lead to complications. In addition, the head of the penis may partially lose its sensitivity. And if the inflammation spreads to the urethra, urethritis will most likely develop.

Chronic form

Treatment of chronic balanoposthitis in children is often performed surgically. At the same time, the foreskin is cut off. After such an operation, the manifestations of the disease disappear.

Balanoposthitis in a child: treatment

Hospitalization is usually not required, but treatment should only be started under medical supervision. Initially, you need to make an appointment with a urologist. After the examination, the doctor will prescribe medications, baths, and lotions. As a last resort, circumcision is performed. If epithelial fusion is observed in the preputial sac, a button probe is used for separation. And when the head is exposed, you need to make ointment applications and herbal baths.

If balanoposthitis is detected in a child, treatment at home is carried out using both medications and traditional methods. Infusions and decoctions for baths are made from chamomile, calendula, and furatsilin solution. You can use antimicrobial anti-inflammatory ointment "Levomekol". It is injected with a syringe without a needle into the preputial sac. Antibiotics cannot be used without a doctor's permission.

Be sure to wash your child at least twice a day and additionally after each bowel movement. Change diapers more often and apply moisturizers to the skin to relieve irritation. For children, baths are made with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs, such as Ibuprofen, help reduce swelling and pain. When the head is infected with a fungus, use Clotrimazole ointment.

Complications

Pathological phimosis causes problems with urination. With complications, various infections and sepsis can occur. In this case, the bacteria spread throughout the body, right up to the brain. With chronic balanoposthitis, the penis becomes deformed and curved. Gangrene of the penis may occur.

Prevention

To prevent balanoposthitis in a child, it is necessary to follow the rules of personal hygiene. You need to use only diapers that match the size and weight of the child, and change them on time. After bathing, moisturizing ointments and emulsions are applied to the dry perineum. Before changing the diaper, be sure to let the skin breathe. Do not expose the foreskin by force under any circumstances. This is a normal condition for a child, which can last up to 5-7 years.

Balanitis is an inflammatory disease of the glans penis, mainly developing in boys under the age of 5 years, with insufficient hygiene of the genital organs. Often this form of the disease is accompanied by posthitis, an inflammatory process that affects the foreskin of the penis. Balanitis in a child is quite clearly manifested by characteristic symptoms, which parents should pay attention to so as not to be late in seeing a doctor and not to cause a problem that is simply solvable in general to develop complications and serious consequences.

Principles of development of balanitis

The inflammatory disease balanitis (alone or in combination with posthitis) is mainly of infectious origin. It is caused by bacteria, fungi and other infectious agents that enter the tissue of the glans penis, into the cavity under the foreskin. The “aggressor” hits the penis from the outside, which is facilitated by the following factors:

phimosis is a congenital disease characterized by abnormal narrowing of the foreskin, which, in this case, is unable to move back easily as it should, ensuring complete exposure of the head;
insufficient personal hygiene, in which smegma accumulates in the preputial sac (the space under the foreskin, around the head of the penis) in the child - a lubricant produced by glands in the tissues of the genital organ, which is an excellent breeding ground for the fruitful activity of bacteria.

These factors or their combination are the main cause of balanitis in a child. In the presence of phimosis, retracting the foreskin from the head of the penis becomes impossible even to the smallest distance, as a result of which a space is formed inside, closed to air access and optimal hygiene. In this closed cavity, smegma easily accumulates, bacteria develop and multiply, and the volume of their waste products increases. In such conditions, infection can occur at any time.

And even if the head of the penis opens sufficiently (up to about half before the boy is 5 years old), with insufficient hygienic care, the smegma is not removed, providing rich nutrition for pathogenic microflora, which is why an inflammatory process occurs quite quickly.

In more rare cases, balanitis in children, which has a non-infectious origin, develops for the following reasons:

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due to an allergic reaction after exposure of the boy’s penis to certain chemicals or medicinal ointments, as well as after taking certain medications;
excessive hygienic care of the penis, providing regular, too strong mechanical impact on delicate tissues, due to which they are injured and are capable of supporting an outbreak of the inflammatory process;
injuries to the genital organs, which can cause damage to the tissues of the penis and the blood vessels that penetrate them, as a result of which normal blood flow is disrupted and fertile ground for the development of bacteria appears.

In the rarest cases, most often in infants, penile rash occurs against the background of diaper rash.

Balanitis of non-infectious origin can also be one of the symptoms of various diseases, in particular diabetes.

Classification and signs of the disease

Experts classify balanitis (inflammatory damage to the head of the penis, often accompanied by inflammation of the foreskin covering it) according to several criteria. First of all, they distinguish different types of illness according to the principle of their course, determining:

acute form (the duration of inflammation is 7-14 days);
chronic form (can last from a couple of weeks to several months);
relapsing form (a disease characterized by periodic exacerbations followed by periods of remission).

Balanitis in boys is also classified according to the following clinical forms, each of which is accompanied by characteristic symptoms:

Irritative balanitis is a simple form, the symptoms of which are severe itching and burning sensations after urination, pain from touching the penis, swelling and redness of the head of the genital organ along with the foreskin, copious discharge of pus from the cavity of the preputial sac.
Erosive balanitis is a form of disease in which erosions appear on the skin of the penis, that is, swollen spots-areas of dead epithelium, white or bright red in color with particles of exfoliated epithelium. Additional symptoms of this form are aching pain, aggravated by movement, as well as enlarged lymph nodes in the groin, in some cases, painful to the touch.
Ulcerative balanitis is a form whose course is similar to the manifestation of an erosive lesion, only accompanied by the appearance of necrotic ulcers and edematous purulent deposits that have a bright red color. This disease, like erosive balanitis, is rarely limited only to the tissues of the glans penis, that is, it necessarily affects the foreskin.
Candidal balanitis is a form of inflammatory lesion, the symptoms of which are itching and burning of the entire surface of the glans penis, including the foreskin. Additionally, with this form of balanitis, signs such as dryness of the skin of the penis, the formation of a white coating on them, white papules, and the accumulation of flakes of a cheesy consistency in the coronary groove are noted. Progression of the disease leads to swelling and cracking of the foreskin.
– a form of inflammation characterized by the formation of pale areas-scars with atrophied skin on the skin of the head of the boy’s penis. Often, obliteration leads to a narrowing of the urethra, thereby complicating the process of emptying the bladder, which can lead to the development of more serious problems with the genitourinary system.

With each form of balanitis, little boys may exhibit both characteristic symptoms and signs generally indicating the occurrence of an inflammatory process. Thus, manifestations of inflammation of the tissues of the head of a child’s penis can be:

a red rash, sometimes turning into scales, sometimes into ulcerations;
pain when touching the penis;
swelling of the penis (its head under the foreskin);
itching, burning and overall discomfort in the groin;
discharge of an unpleasant color and odor, including pus, appearing under the foreskin;
pain when urinating;
difficulty in exposing the head from under the foreskin (if it was possible to pull off the skin before the disease).

At the slightest suspicion of inflammation of the glans penis in children, parents should immediately consult a doctor

If the disease is advanced, its further symptoms may be phenomena associated with the activity of the genitourinary system, since the spread of this inflammatory process usually primarily affects this area of the body.

Principles of treatment and prevention of inflammation

At the slightest suspicion of inflammation of the glans penis in children, parents should immediately consult a doctor. Although the simple irritative form of the lesion can be treated quite easily and with the most accessible means, it is still necessary to consult with a specialist, since only he can clearly make a diagnosis and identify potential complications. Only a physician can prescribe treatment, no matter how simple it may be.

In particular, with a simple form of balanitis, the pediatrician will prescribe the patient local anti-inflammatory drugs and antiseptics, as well as a course of careful hygienic care for the affected area. First of all, you will have to clean the head of the penis under the foreskin from accumulations of smegma with warm water and antibacterial soap, then dry the delicate skin with careful touches of a soft towel and apply the prescribed medications.

Erosive and ulcerative forms of the disease are treated with the same means as a simple type of balanitis, however, the list of medications is supplemented with special anti-inflammatory ointments and, if the patient has inflammation of the lymph nodes in the groin, a course of antibiotics.

The inflammatory process of the candidiasis form of the disease is treated with local antifungal agents.

Therapy for balanitis obliterans is much more complex compared to the treatment of other forms. If the inflammatory process is caught at an early stage, surgical removal of the foreskin may be sufficient to influence it, followed by a course of anti-inflammatory and disinfecting effects and constant medical supervision. A disease that develops for too long and leads to a narrowing of the opening of the urethra already requires its surgical dissection. After the operation, treatment is carried out with a course of local application of glucocorticoid creams. It is better not to lead to such a situation, since the treatment procedures and the recovery process will be very long and difficult, not excluding serious consequences for the boy’s health.

As for the prevention of balanitis, it is simple and obvious: maintaining personal hygiene. The child should get used to washing his hands after each urination, in addition, he should develop the habit of regularly and thoroughly washing the genital organ, especially the foreskin and the head under it. Naturally, while the boy is not yet able to take care of himself, these activities must be carried out for him by his parents.

Balanitis is a fairly simple disease and not the most dangerous, however, once neglected, it will most likely return to the boy more than once over time. In order to prevent existing balanitis from becoming chronic, as well as to avoid relapses of this disease, doctors recommend that the child undergo circumcision (surgical removal of the foreskin). Of course, this step does not guarantee that inflammation will never appear again, but it does provide a good chance for this to happen.

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Almost every boy, sooner or later, develops an inflammatory and infectious process in the area of the head and foreskin of the genital organ. This disease is called. The disease can occur in acute (less than 3 months) and chronic form (over 3 months). Boys suffer from this disease in 3 times. more often than adult men, so in children it is especially important to identify the symptoms of balanoposthitis in time and, with the help of a doctor, determine the correct treatment.

Causes of the disease

Improper use of diapers contributes to the development of balanoposthitis in children.

Various microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi) can cause balanoposthitis under certain conditions:

violation of child care rules (irregular washing, use of soap when washing);
the use of low-quality detergents for bathing and washing children’s clothes;
improper use of disposable diapers (size mismatch, infrequent changing);
tight panties that rub the skin and head of the penis, which contributes to the occurrence of microtraumas with subsequent infection;
allergic dermatitis to powder or cream;
imperfect structure of the external genitalia in preschool boys: narrowed foreskin or physiological phimosis makes it difficult for the baby to carry out hygienic procedures; when adhesions form between the two walls of the skin fold of the foreskin, stagnation of the secretion of special glands (smegma), dead skin cells occurs, and microorganisms that get on them cause inflammation;
violent attempts to expose the head of the penis;
: high levels of sugar in the urine are a breeding ground for microorganisms;
contributes to impaired and decreased immunity, makes it difficult to maintain personal hygiene;
hypothermia and poor nutrition of the child lead to and thereby facilitate the development of infection.

Symptoms

Balanoposthitis may be accompanied by difficulty urinating in a child.

There are the following types of balanoposthitis: simple, purulent, erosive, gangrenous.

The acute form of the disease, as a rule, begins suddenly, against the background of complete well-being. In the morning, the child experiences burning and itching in the foreskin area (in older children, and in younger children - anxiety). The child cries when touching the penis and when urinating, sleep is disturbed, and the temperature rises (sometimes to high levels).

The child’s general well-being worsens, and the lymph nodes in the groin area may become enlarged. The foreskin is swollen and red, and urination may be difficult. Bright red eroded areas with a rim of weeping along the periphery are formed - the inflammation has turned into an erosive form. If treatment is not continued, deep ulcerative-necrotic areas will form on a bright red background. These ulcers indicate the transition of the disease to a gangrenous form; they are very painful and take a very long time to heal.

Typically, treatment begins with local procedures: warm baths with furatsilin solution (at the rate of 2 tablets per glass of water) or chamomile decoction (1 tablespoon of flowers pour 250 ml of boiling water) every 2 hours. The bath solution is poured into a jar and lowered an inflamed organ into it. There is no need to retract the foreskin; this causes sharp pain in the boy.

Drug for treatment

After the bath, you can apply a gauze pad with Levomekol ointment - it has both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Using a syringe without a needle, heated ointment (about 1.5 g) can be carefully injected under the foreskin. You can pour a solution of furatsilin or chlorhexidine into it in the same way to clean and disinfect the cavity. At night, an ointment bandage is applied to the penis.

In case of severe weeping, the doctor may prescribe baths with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate, taking into account its disinfectant and drying effect. Typically, treatment results are obtained within 3-4 days.

If the child’s general condition is impaired and there is fever, anti-inflammatory drugs are used. In case of severe disease, weakened children, or when there is a threat of infection spreading, antibacterial drugs are prescribed for internal use or by injection. For candidiasis balanoposthitis, Clotrimazole ointment and other antifungal drugs are used.

In the chronic form of the disease, the inflammatory process is practically untreatable. Usually, surgical treatment is performed outside the period of exacerbation under local (in young children - under general) anesthesia - circumcision of the foreskin. Surgical treatment is effective in 100% of cases.

Complications of acute balanoposthitis

If left untreated, the disease can lead to the following complications:

Prevention

Preschool boys should be washed every night (without soap), as well as after defecation;
Infants change diapers in a timely manner and select them according to size;
When washing, school-age boys should expose and wash the head of the organ themselves with warm water;
Boys of all ages should use a personal towel for intimate hygiene;
All boys (and men) should avoid wearing tight underwear.

Which doctor should I contact?

If you suspect the development of balanoposthitis, you can contact a pediatrician or immediately a urologist. If necessary, an examination by a surgeon is scheduled. In addition, if the disease is associated with internal causes, a consultation with an endocrinologist, nutritionist, immunologist, or allergist is prescribed.

Today we will discuss a problem that parents of boys of preschool age and during puberty often face. We will talk about such a common disease in children as balanoposthitis, treatment which is important to carry out comprehensively and delicately. You will learn how to treat balanoposthitis, photo which you can see below, which ointment, cream and other drugs help eliminate unpleasant symptoms and speed up recovery.
Balanitis in boys is an inflammatory process that affects only the head of the organ. When the infection also affects the foreskin , the disease is called balanoposthitis, which in most cases children have to face. The foreskin tightly covers the head, which contributes to the appearance of the disease.
Most often, balanoposthitis is provoked by an infection that enters the preputial sac. when trying to open the foreskin , spread synechiae, or perform other careless actions when caring for the boy’s genitals.
There is also a risk of contracting the disease when the synechiae diverge spontaneously. Synechia leads to the accumulation of smegma under the foreskin. In young children appearance of smegma - a consequence of exfoliation of the epithelium of the foreskin and glans.
The adhesions on the organ may not completely dissolve and form a pocket into which the infection gets trapped. This is where smegma accumulates. In acute form of balanoposthitis the liquid is very thick and there is a lot of it, so much so that smegmolite cannot flow out.

Among the possible causes of balanoposthitis Pediatricians highlight tight underwear that rubs the skin and physiological phimosis - very narrow foreskin in boys of preschool and primary school age.

Basic signs of balanitis and balanoposthitis in children- itching, redness, pain and small swelling on the head. Sometimes pus is found under the foreskin.
If a child has balanoposthitis, then ulcers and cracks appear on the foreskin, and the capillaries dilate. The epithelium of the head may be damaged. When the inflammatory process is advanced, in some cases a characteristic plaque appears on the head and foreskin. In rare cases, a boy's external organs can become infected with a fungus and the child begins to develop candidal balanoposthitis (thrush). This form of the disease is treated as a fungal infection.

When balanoposthitis is severe and the boy is bothered by swelling of the foreskin, which is accompanied by strong discharge of pus, you need to contact a pediatric urologist. He will conduct an examination and tell you what remedies will help get rid of the disease in a particular case.
Surgical intervention (circumcision) for balanoposthitis is performed extremely rarely, and is done for the purpose of prevention.

More often treatment of balanoposthitis consists of using drugs that come in the form of ointment or cream. When the disease is caused by a fungus ( candidal balanoposthitis ), a remedy is selected that resists the proliferation of yeast fungus. In the fight against antiseptics help with bacterial infections . If the disease occurs as an allergy, glucocorticoid ointment is needed.

Next, we will tell you in detail about what types it is divided into in children. balanoposthitis, treatment treat this disease at home with modern medications (ointments, creams) and procedures, as well as with the help of folk remedies at home. Balanoposthitis in children (see. photo below) can be cured quite quickly and without serious health consequences if you contact a pediatric urologist in time for an examination and appropriate tests to identify the source of the infection.

Now you know, how to treat balanoposthitis in children at home and what medications ( ointment for external use - xeroform ointment, decamine ointment, dermosolone, antimicrobial agents, baths with dioxidine, potassium permanganate) are used in the treatment of this disease. Before you organize treatment of balanoposthitis (or balanitis) in a boy at home,Necessarily contact a pediatric urologist for examination.

Next article.

Mothers of boys often face a disease such as balanoposthitis. Pathology causes this problem to occur in children much more often than in adults. You can cope with unpleasant symptoms and relieve your child of discomfort at home. Let's take a closer look at the causes, symptoms and safest methods of treating the pathological condition.

Causes of inflammation

The condition of the genital organ in boys raises many questions among new parents. Anatomical features differ between infants and older boys. Therefore, you should know what is normal and what indicates the development of the disease. Almost every boy experiences inflammation of the foreskin.

In children, the pathology is most often provoked by physiological phimosis - fusion of the head of the penis and the foreskin. This is only a temporary condition that goes away on its own by about 2 years. The head begins to open gradually. Between it and the flesh, cavities are formed in which the epithelium accumulates and where urine enters.

If hygiene procedures are not carried out and the “pockets” are not cleaned, then inflammation of the foreskin of the penis occurs. This is the most common reason. Provoking factors also include endocrine disorders, hypothermia, deficiency of vitamins and minerals, mechanical damage (constant friction against fabric or diaper). A specialist must establish the etiology.

Inflammation of the foreskin in children: symptoms

The picture of the pathological condition is visible to the naked eye. The first thing you should pay attention to is the swelling of the genital organ. The foreskin becomes inflamed and red. In the baby, the disease causes extremely unpleasant sensations: itching, burning, pain. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, urination is impaired (the process becomes very painful).

Enuresis is a serious consequence that can provoke inflammation of the foreskin in a child. Treatment will depend on the symptoms of the disease. In the first days of the development of pathology, the lymph nodes in the groin area may enlarge. Body temperature often rises. If you find such signs in your baby, you need to seek help from a surgeon or pediatrician.

Balanoposthitis in a child: treatment

First of all, parents should not panic. The disease occurs in many children. Children who spend a long time in dirty diapers suffer the most. Treatment of the inflammatory process will depend on the type of balanoposthitis. In boys under 3 years of age, the adhesive type of pathology is more often diagnosed. Systemic drug therapy in this case is used extremely rarely.

Usually the problem can be dealt with with the help of antiseptics, for example, potassium permanganate. Furacilin solution has a similar effect. Potassium permanganate is used to prepare a weak solution in which to bathe the baby. Additionally, it can be used to treat the foreskin during the day.

If purulent inflammation of the foreskin is detected in a child, treatment should be started immediately. The form of the disease is quite severe. The cause of inflammation is fungi, staphylococci and streptococcal bacteria. It is impossible to cope with them without the use of antibiotics and antimycotics. The doctor selects the treatment regimen and necessary medications. With this course of the disease, ointments and creams can be used to treat the inflamed area.

Prevention

Inflammation of the foreskin in children is quite easy to prevent. To do this you need to follow simple rules:

Wash your child regularly with soap.
Do not neglect baby cream and use it after hygiene procedures
Use underwear or diapers of the appropriate size.
Give your baby air baths after bathing.

Some parents try to speed up the process of opening the head and try to push back the foreskin on their own. This is prohibited! Such manipulations can not only be painful for the baby, but also cause inflammation of the head and foreskin.

In a child, the process of opening the head of the genital organ occurs naturally at a certain time. If the development of balanoposthitis cannot be avoided, you should consult a doctor and follow all recommendations regarding therapy.