OK, this is a little bit odd and haven't found anyone else who has had this problem, so I am hoping that someone here can help. My 25 month old HATES to have his genitals touched. I don't mean he doesn't like having his diaper changed, because he will lay still and let us do that, unless his bm has gotten up there and then he throws a fit when you try to clean him. He also throws a fit in the tub and it is nearly impossible to clean him. It started around 15 or 16 months and has progressively gotten worse. I have asked 2 pediatricians and they both said that it was a phase that he should grow out of, but how long does a phase last? I stay at home with him and he has only been left twice and both times he was sleeping, so it would have been prety much impossible for any sort of molestation to have occured. He is circumcised, so I don't believe he is having any sort of painful erections. He doesn't cry or whine when he urinates, so I don't believe he has a UTI. He doesn't even touch himself (not that I am complaining), so I don't believe there is any sort of it's 'his' to touch and no one elses. These are all the things that have been suggested when I asked other moms, hoping someone here has some other ideas as I am concerned about the cleanliness issue.
My 3 1/2 year old is the same way. we used to have trouble when we had to clean that area and sometime we still do. we started to let him wash that area himself, we bought a puffy sponge and let him wash his private area and clean the rest of his body for him. i do not believe that he is uncomfortable i just think that it tickles him a little bit. i hope this helps.
Hi M.,
My 28 month old son is the SAME way! I have no idea why he does it either, but he HATES to be touched--and has for quite a while. It's very difficult to even clean him in the bathtub, or wipe when we change his diaper. He was circumcised at birth--well, before he left the hospital anyway (he was a preemie born at 27 weeks), but the doctor who did it didn't take enough off, so he kinda looks like a cross between a circ and a non-circ. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I'd love to hear if you find something else out.
J. F.
That one lady has issues... Anyways I think all 3 of my boys were like that to some degree. Its just very sensitive down there. And maybe he hurt himself down there, like fell on something, so he associates it with pain. Have you tried letting him was that area in the bath and during diaper changes? You can ask him if it hurts or tickles. I say tickle because those are the 2 most commonly understood about how something feels.
You may want to give him a careful inspection around his testicals to make sure that he doesn't have a sore spot. Sometimes if you carry a child on your hip, your belt or clothing can hurt them in the groin area. If you carry him a lot on your hip it can keep him sore.
Just something to consider.
I DON'T think your son was molested!! My son is very protective of his parts as well. He is circumcized too but there is some skin there that I have to pull down from time to time during either baths or a diaper change to wipe clean. That seems to be the part he dislikes and he will push my hands away. My son will also grab himslef with both hands and pull it in opposite directions at the same time without a wimper!! So I don't fully understand all that but just remember, the head and scrotum area are the most sensative on a male and since he doesn't understand the whole thing, that type of feeling might be uncomfortable for him or painful. Just like why babies cry whey they are hungry, what we feel when we are hungry feels like pain to them.
In the mean time, you'll just have to keep making sure he stays clean down there and teaching him good hygine as he grows older if it continues to be a problem. Maybe this will be something he outgrows with potty training especially when he learns to pee standing up!
Good luck
~S.
Agree with the other moms on the molestation issue, but that does not necessarily mean that is what happened. I have heard of boys having circumcisions and having a little too much skin removed which caused pain b/c the remaining skin had to stretch too much. Has that ever been mentioned or looked at? Again, it very well could just be one of those quirky traits he has. I would definitley try to talk to him about it (as much as you can talk to a 25 month old). I have a 28 month old daughter who is just the opposite-she always wants to touch herself and believe me, that is no fun either!
If the doctors have run tests and/or examined him and don't see anything wrong, I wouldn't worry too much about it. As far as cleanliness, I agree that you should try to have him do it himself and see if that helps.
My 3 year old is and has been the same way! I just ask him to clean it himself and if he is busy playing in the tub I try to do it quickly. I just assume it tickles him or feels funny...so I kinda make light of it.
i agree with kristi, check to make sure the circumcision is not too tight. he would probably have a more painful erection from being circumcised too tight rather than if he was not circumcised. also, it could just be his preference and it might help to teach him how to clean himself.
Hey M.
I know he's only 25 months old but you, or if daddy is in the picture, need to sit down where there are no distractions and talk to him. Find out if it hurts at all. If it doesn't hurt you might want to take the opportunity to ask him if he wants to potty train so that the poop goes in the toilet and not on him. Ask him if he just doesn't want mommy to touch him (don't feel bad, it's ok) there and explain to him that if it's not clean that it can get ouchies and that either you have to do it or he will need to learn to do it the right way. My son didn't have that problem but my daughter has an issue with her crack showing, lol! I think it's because i always yell at my son to cover up and she sees him running to clothes on with his hand cupped in front and back but I don't know. He's five and she'll be three at the end of june. He's little but he still understands so just have a talk. Good Luck
I don't have my not wanting no one to touch there. Mine was to yougn, but he had bouble hernia so. next time you give him a bath or something make sure his balls are not to hard or swollen at all .. For me I had no one to ask but in my gut I knew something was wrong so when we went to the Dr. I made sure he saw it first next thing I knew I had my six week old son was having sergery.
I hope this is not what is wrong with your son, but if it is you have someone that has been thought it. Every thing will work out fine..
If you don't mind let me know how it works out with him.
this sounds exactly like my 28 mo old. he has been doing this for a while now. his twin brother doesn't do this at all. good news is that at the beginning he was pretty bad about it, but now he is alot better but still does wriggle & scream some - he just doesn't scream as bad. I just kept being persistant because it had to be cleaned & i guess soon he realized it was no big deal. i think being fast about it & if i didn't get to wash the area as good as i liked, i would just try again the next day & didnt obsess about how thorough of a job I did, as long as it did get washed. hope this helps & good luck.
Hey, I just thought I would respond b/c I have a little boy who will be 3 this october, and he's been the same exact way for awhile now. You can't wash him down there, or like you said when the poop gets around it, trying to clean him during diaper changes or bath time is like pulling teeth! His pediatrician told me it was normal. Sometimes I still get freaked out by it, but I just try to remember that he's a boy, and I'm sure their parts are sensitive anyways. Hope this helped a little, atleast knowing that your son isn't the only one :O)
~T.~
mommy to Noah 10-22-05
mommy to Bailey 12-21-07
