Viper Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Straight to the point. At what age do boys have to start pulling their foreskin back to wash behind it. The reason I ask is cos Ben had Thrush and the nurse asked him to pull it back so she could see but he has never done it before so I was wondering. Hubby can't remember and Ben is my only boy so never had to worry about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littlenemo Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Sorry, can't help you on this one as I was born in the States in the 50's when circumcision was almost universal. And surprisingly it's not a subject men discuss much, in my experience. Having said that Com's foreskin was too tight and the doctor suggested getting him to practice pulling it back to loosen it. This was when he was 3, so I'm assuming that there isn't any specific age at which it becomes necessary, but depends on the individual. I would have thought that thrush would make it itchy, and so he'd be happy to wash to stop the irritation, but also it implies that to let the infection in it would have to be loose enough to pull back already. Good luck nemo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted July 10, 2006 My ex told me the boys should pull it back and give it a quick wash whilst in the bath. That was from quite a young age (4 or 5ish?). Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamom Report post Posted July 10, 2006 I think the age is around 5ish, i had to ask the paed this coz hubby could not remember but if my memory serves me correct its 5.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted July 10, 2006 (edited) Sorry, can't help you on this one as I was born in the States in the 50's when circumcision was almost universal. And surprisingly it's not a subject men discuss much, in my experience. nemo Thanks everyone. Ben is 6 in September so maybe thats why he had thrush. To my knowledge he hasn't pulled it back, but then what do I know? Nemo, with all that information I think I could pick you out in a line up now. Edited July 10, 2006 by Viper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keyholekate Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Sean was never able to and at 10 and was eventually circumcised. Never had any problems and was happy to have the op as he had time of school!!!!!!!!!! OUCH Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Viper - Thankyou for asking that question! Believe it or not, as a single dad it's even more difficult to ask!! I try to encourage ben to do it, but he still won't, and i don't want to make an issue of it... I figure if I keep encouraging he'll get there one day, and at some point the problem will be a moot point anyway (say 14/15!) Any DEFINITIVE answer greatly apprciated! L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted July 10, 2006 BD I did think about Googling it but thought again. Dread to think what would come up. I am making a right pigs ear of this, there are so many innuendoes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss Report post Posted July 10, 2006 (edited) Our ds is nearly 13...I hadn't realised men/boys had to do this...... Do you think it would be wise to raise the subject over our cornflakes tomorrow , or throw it in casually like "have you got your pe kit, packed lunch and have you cleaned under your foreskin this morning?" or have I left it abit late ? Edited July 10, 2006 by Bagpuss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Our ds is nearly 13...I hadn't realised men/boys had to do this...... Do you think it would be wise to raise the subject over our cornflakes tomorrow , or throw it in casually like "have you got your pe kit, packed lunch and have you cleaned under your foreskin this morning?" or have I left it abit late ? That made me laugh out loud, which would look silly if anyone saw me cos I'm on my own. I'd go for the casual approach myself. Thanks for the laugh baggy. Bagpuss was never that funny when I watched it as a kid. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brook Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Our ds is nearly 13...I hadn't realised men/boys had to do this...... Do you think it would be wise to raise the subject over our cornflakes tomorrow , or throw it in casually like "have you got your pe kit, packed lunch and have you cleaned under your foreskin this morning?" or have I left it abit late ? That made me laugh out loud as well . Viper my youngest is forever playing with his doo dah, and he pulls it right back, makes me feel , I'm forever trying to stop him, now I've read this thread I'm having second thoughts. Oh, what a subject. Brook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted July 10, 2006 I always remember when he was born the nurses and health visitor went to great lengths to warn me not to pul his foreskin back to clean him until he was much older, they never said how much older though. Should I dare google it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Muslims in Turkey are circumcised between the age of 5 and 10 so Turkish men certainly know what a foreskin is, unlike Muslims in other countries where circumcision is carried out at a very young age. It is common practice for boys to wash behind the foreskin daily from about 4 years old until the day they are circumcised. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted July 10, 2006 The foreskin doesn't separate fully from the glans until puberty. As stated by Dr. Gairdner in his 1949 anti-circumcision article in The Lancet, the foreskin is often still adherent to the glans at birth but is normally fully mobile by the age of about 5. A few boys do still have adhesions remaining into puberty, but these are a sign of improper development of the penis. They need to be broken down long before the boy reaches puberty so as to allow for proper cleanliness and a normal development into puberty. A fully retractable foreskin is necessary for proper cleansing and sexual development. Well I found this and it wasn't too traumatic. I think that might solve the puzzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oracle Report post Posted July 10, 2006 (edited) Our ds is nearly 13...I hadn't realised men/boys had to do this...... Do you think it would be wise to raise the subject over our cornflakes tomorrow , or throw it in casually like "have you got your pe kit, packed lunch and have you cleaned under your foreskin this morning?" or have I left it abit late ? Not as late as I have left it - my eldest is 27 and I aint ever had the conversation, never even thought about this before tonight, and me with THREE boys I think if I mention it now to eldest he might just thump me . Oracle Edited July 10, 2006 by oracle Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted July 10, 2006 I have vaguely wondered about it in the past, but it isn't a conversation I've had with my 9 year old either . Still battling to get him to clean his teeth, let alone anything else! K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richt Report post Posted July 11, 2006 I was never taught how to wash effectively, guess it just happened around the age of 6 to 12 but don't remember it as a landmark (god forbid) Thinking about my own ds, never had to train him either, but maybe he also picked up the lesson on the way. I think the foreskin becomes looser as they get older, so naturally retracts to help this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
col Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Oh goody i was hoping hubby wouldn't get off too easily i have to explain periods to the girls when they get older. So now HE has got to explain wennie washing to our son when he get's older This has made my morning... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Col, don't bank on it. My DH left it up to me to explain the birds and bees to our ds.....think DH's idea of informing him would of been to give him a copy of FHM or similar Hmmmmm, maybe worth checking if my DH is cleaning his too? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Hmmmmm, maybe worth checking if my DH is cleaning his too? Baggy, how many kids have you got? If you don't know about hubby's personal hygiene by now you never will girl. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Straight to the point. At what age do boys have to start pulling their foreskin back to wash behind it. The reason I ask is cos Ben had Thrush and the nurse asked him to pull it back so she could see but he has never done it before so I was wondering. Hubby can't remember and Ben is my only boy so never had to worry about it. Yikes, I'm really fretting about this now!! What happens if they don't clean under it then??!! (*mind boggles*). I do remember asking my hubby about this once years ago and he told me in not uncertain terms that I should leave our ds's foreskin well and truly alone. Now he's 12 and as far as I know he's never cleaned under it, is it gonna go black and drop off??!! ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Wow - what a conversation........ Erm.....along the same lines as K...... Still battling to get him to clean his teeth, let alone anything else! K x Col, don't bank on it. My DH left it up to me to explain the birds and bees to our ds.....think DH's idea of informing him would of been to give him a copy of FHM or similar BP - My dad took it upon himself to explain that little lot to me (at 15) - it went like this.... Dad - Erm.......Erm......... We need to have a chat... Me - Oooookkkkkaaayyyyyy???! Dad - Yeah, it's erm, about 'The facts of Life' (he goes a rather nice shade of beetroot.... ) Me - Really? Do we now??? Dad - Ah, b*gger it - you probably know more than i do...... And that was it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OPooh Report post Posted July 11, 2006 mine can't stop playing with it in the bath so am assuming it gets cleaned then. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 If the foreskin won't draw back fully, the child should not force it, as then it can tear. But regularly, gently encouraging it to draw back helps it to do so fully. One of my son's still can't pull his foreskin back fully, but the doc's don't want to do anything, as it is not causing a problem. Regular infections (balanitis?) would be one reason for circumcision. Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Baggy, how many kids have you got? If you don't know about hubby's personal hygiene by now you never will girl. 3 (4 including DH) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss Report post Posted July 11, 2006 SM Think our ds probably knows more than me too, especially after we found some naughty sites he'd been looking at Although he's a typical male with his hygiene routine and thinks a clean pair of boxers is as good as a bath.....and putting your toothbrush under the tap and getting it wet means you've brushed your teeth ...hmm, took me a while to cotton on to that one Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KarenT Report post Posted July 12, 2006 mine can't stop playing with it in the bath so am assuming it gets cleaned then. J used to do this a lot too - it was a bit like Stretch Armstrong because he'd pull it as long as it would stretch, halfway down the side of the bath one one occasion, eyewatering stuff even for a girl. Then one day he pulled it so far back he got it stuck, sort of strangulated his penis and it started going blue. He was in agony. Fortunately we have a couple of doctors living next door so I called one in and he freed it with some baby oil and very gentle manipulation. He suggested J might need to be circumcised as a precaution in case he did it again but the hospital doctor we saw later said it wouldn't be necessary. He did say that from about 5-7 years it would be advisable to roll the foreskin back gently to encourage cleaning. J still fiddles in the bath so we've never felt the need to do any 'formal' washing. Funnily enough, J never did it again... Karen x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caren Report post Posted July 12, 2006 J used to do this a lot too - it was a bit like Stretch Armstrong because he'd pull it as long as it would stretch, halfway down the side of the bath one one occasion, eyewatering stuff even for a girl. Then one day he pulled it so far back he got it stuck, sort of strangulated his penis and it started going blue. He was in agony. Fortunately we have a couple of doctors living next door so I called one in and he freed it with some baby oil and very gentle manipulation. He suggested J might need to be circumcised as a precaution in case he did it again but the hospital doctor we saw later said it wouldn't be necessary. He did say that from about 5-7 years it would be advisable to roll the foreskin back gently to encourage cleaning. J still fiddles in the bath so we've never felt the need to do any 'formal' washing. Funnily enough, J never did it again... Karen x K pulls his so hard i worry it will rip its very eye watering stuff , i taught all my boys to clean under the skin from 5 onwards Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jen Report post Posted July 12, 2006 Its teenagers who should be taught to pull there foreskin back fully as before this age there is not enough skin to do this properly. I suppose most boys will be experimenting at this age so the topic of sex and hygiene can both be discussed at once. If the child is unable to pull the skin back at this age or if the skin become tight than circumcisium is needed. A good soak in the bath and encouraging the child to clean the area will help with the procedure. Jen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
