When a couple has a son, they have to deal with many specific diseases. One of them is balanitis in a child. In most cases, the pathology is fungal in nature. Its main symptom is inflammation of the skin on the head of the penis. Such an unpleasant problem requires a serious approach to therapy and cannot do without the use of special drugs. How to treat balanitis in children will be discussed in today's article.
Features of the disease
Balanitis belongs to the category of inflammatory diseases. Its development is always accompanied by itching, discomfort and soreness in the area of the glans penis. The pathological process is based on the action of foreign organisms, much less often it is the result of mechanical damage.
Balanitis can occur in a child of any age. In infants, its appearance is due to prolonged wearing of diapers. First it causes diaper rash, and then an inflammatory process.
There are several forms of the disease: simple, candidal, obliterating, erosive. Each of them has a characteristic symptomatology.and requires a specific treatment option. For example, with candidal balanitis, a small rash appears on the skin, and in the case of erosive, multiple ulcers appear. The obliterating form is accompanied by atrophy of certain parts of the dermis.
Any of the presented forms of the disease can worsen. In this case, the child's condition deteriorates sharply, he becomes whiny and irritable. Therefore, if you suspect balanitis, the symptoms of which will be described below, you should immediately seek medical help. The sooner the doctor prescribes treatment, the faster the recovery will come.
Why does disease occur?
The main cause of balanitis is infection. It penetrates between the head of the penis and the foreskin. Usually, a fungus of the genus Candidae or other pathogenic flora plays its role. The following factors may contribute to their appearance:
- Physiological phimosis. This is a fairly common violation in which the head cannot be completely exposed. As a result, there is a closed space inaccessible for high-quality hygiene procedures. Between the foreskin and the head, a favorable environment is created for the vital activity of pathogenic microbes. With age, physiological phimosis goes away on its own. That is why children under 5 are more susceptible to balanitis.
- Failure to follow the basic rules of personal hygiene. Many kids simply do not know and do not know how to properly care for the body. In the absence of regular water procedures, inflammation of the glans penis occurs in a child.
Sometimesthe development of the pathological process is accompanied by serious he alth problems. In this case, balanitis is secondary. The risk group includes children with diabetes mellitus, helminthic invasions and sexually transmitted diseases.
First manifestations of balanitis
Often the development of the disease is preceded by the excellent he alth of the child. He may complain of itching and redness in the area of the head of the penis. Parents themselves begin to notice his restless state. Among the main symptoms indicating the active reproduction of pathogenic microflora, it should be noted:
- slight swelling of the skin in the area of infection;
- reddish rash;
- appearance of scales on the genitals;
- discharge of purulent secretion from under the foreskin with an unpleasant odor.
Young children can't talk clearly about their problem. They begin to act up at the next attempt to examine the genitals. In the acute stage, babies deliberately restrain the urge to urinate, which ends with enuresis at night.
Candidal balanitis in a child, in addition to the symptoms listed above, is accompanied by fever. Sometimes the lymph nodes in the groin area increase. Children with this disorder appear lethargic and sleepy all the time.
Medical examination
For successful treatment, it is necessary to determine the form of the disease. First, the doctor must examine a small patient, analyze complaints and study his history. Afterthis research is assigned to determine the causative agent of the disease. For this purpose, a swab is taken from the urethra.
In case of a complicated course of the pathological process or its chronicity, additional diagnostics are carried out. A small patient is assigned a comprehensive examination:
- Blood test for sugar.
- STI testing (only available for teenagers).
- PCR.
If it was possible to detect balanitis in children in time, treatment allows you to cope with its manifestations within 3-4 days. During this period, inflammation, as a rule, can be stopped.
How to help a child at home?
Sometimes you can defeat balanitis in children at home. Treatment will be effective only at the initial stage of the disease. However, before this, a consultation with a pediatrician is required.
The basis of home therapy are herbal baths. For this purpose, you can use St. John's wort, chamomile and calendula flowers. After the procedure, the inflamed skin should be gently wiped using a soft towel. Folk healers also recommend using these herbs for making lotions and infusions.
To reduce itching in the penis area, it can be wiped with a lightly s alted aqueous solution. To prepare it, you will need to mix a teaspoon of s alt with 500 ml of warm water, stir well. A cotton swab dipped in the solution should be wiped on the surface of the genitals.
After a course of therapy at home, you need to see a pediatrician. If its results areunsatisfactory, the doctor will prescribe medication.
Medicated treatment
Depending on the cause of the disease, the pediatrician may prescribe an antifungal cream, an antibacterial agent, or a steroid ointment to treat it. Let's consider each of the options in more detail.
Antifungal drugs are prescribed for candidal balanitis. The most effective is "Clotrimazole". Ointment instruction for use recommends using twice a day until the symptoms disappear completely. The course of treatment lasts no more than a week.
In the case of ulcerative balanitis caused by pathogenic flora, an antibiotic cream helps. Children are most often prescribed Chloramphenicol. Some doctors prescribe antibiotic tablets, such as Erythromycin. The dosage of the drug is selected individually and depends on the age of the small patient.
A mild steroid cream is recommended to reduce inflammation. The choice of a specific remedy remains with the attending physician. Most often resort to the help of "Hydrocortisone". Like Clotrimazole, the instructions for use recommend using the ointment twice a day. In this case, the adoption of warming baths should be excluded.
Manifestations of the disease usually disappear within 3-5 days after the start of the course of therapy. If balanitis does not respond to treatment, symptoms continue to appear, it is advisable to discuss other treatment options with your doctor.
Need for surgery
How to treat balanitis if itturned into a chronic form and is not amenable to drug therapy? In this case, doctors most often decide on the operation. It involves excision of the foreskin. This is a rather radical, but at the same time effective method of combating the inflammatory process.
Prevention Methods
Many parents had to deal with such a pathology as balanitis in a child. This is a serious disease, the treatment of which should not be neglected. Otherwise, the disease may become chronic. His therapy is no longer limited to medication.
Is it possible to prevent balanitis in a child? The main precaution is high-quality and timely hygiene of the genital organs. First, her parents have to look after her, and then they can teach her the basics of a baby. You need to change your underwear daily and try to choose diapers wisely.
Another measure of prevention is to increase immunity. To this end, the child must be provided with good nutrition, walks in the fresh air. Any colds should be treated promptly. And at the slightest suspicion of balanitis, you should immediately seek medical help.
