Should I Just Go Ahead and Take Her to Doctor?

Updated on August 03, 2009
H.C. asks from Colorado Springs, CO
16 answers

My 5 1/2 year old daughter is constantly scratching "down there". I have looked down there thinking maybe yeast infection or some kind of bacterial infection. Last time she was doing that I took her to her Doctor and they said nothing was going on. She was learning potty training and it was normal. But looking at her doing this is not normal looking to me. She does this dance that looks uncomfortable so she I won't see her scratch. It looks like she deals with it constantly. Last time the Doctor told me to just swipe some Hydrocortisone 1% on it. I have been constantly giving baths and showers and changing detergents to the gentle brands, nothing is helping. Has any one else gone through this? I feel so bad for her.

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So What Happened?

Hey ladies! I know it was a while ago since I posted this. I didn't end up taking my daughter to the Doctor. I did the baths with baking soda and Hydrocortisone and changed her panties several times a day, and washed her with antibacterial soap. Whew, it was a process but happy to say she doesn't itch anymore and she says she is so happy about it. Thanks for all of your advice, it helped tons and was happy too not to pay the $45 copay we have. Thanks again ladies!!

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E.O.

answers from Salt Lake City on

With my daughter I clean her off, at bedtime, in detail (down there) with wipes then put 'Monistate cream' on her. I have to do that for a few days, and she'll be fine for a while. I usually have to do this once every two months. My daughter's now 6 1/2 and I've been doing this since she was three. Good luck!

Also, laundry detergent is key for me and my kids. We all have very sensative skin. We use 'Tide' or 'Dreft' detergent, 'Kirtlnd' brand or 'Downy' fabric softener, and 'Bounce' dryer sheets. Any other brand causes irritation of some kind on one or more of us.

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D.C.

answers from Boise on

Hi, well my daughter was having this problem, what it was is that she wasnt wiping or at least not well enough and that was making her itchy and sore. we fixed the problem by making her show us after she used the restroom, that she had toilet papper in the potty. this has seemed to work no more problems for at least two years.

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C.T.

answers from Denver on

Hi H. - here is what my pediatrician's website says about caring for an itchy peepee. If this doesnt clear up her symptoms, then she could have something more going on and should be seen by her doctor.

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR SOAP VULVITIS
Baking Soda-Warm Water Soaks:
Soak for 20 minutes to remove irritants and to promote healing.
Add 2 oz. baking soda per tub of warm water (Reason: Baking soda is better than vinegar for girls not into puberty).
During soaks, be sure she spreads her legs and allows the water to cleanse the genital area.
Repeat baking soda soaks treatment 4 times per day for 2 days.
Steroid Cream: Apply small amount of 1% hydrocortisone cream to the genital area after soaks for 1 or 2 days.
Avoid Soaps: Avoid bubble bath, soap and shampoo to the vulva because they are irritants. Only use warm water to cleanse the vulva or baby oil to remove secretions.
Expected Course: If the symptoms are due to soap vulvitis, they should all clear within 1 to 2 days with proper treatment.

Call Us If:
Irritation persists on treatment over 48 hours
Vaginal discharge or bleeding occurs
Passing urine becomes painful
Your child becomes worse

1 mom found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Boise on

Try food. She could have a mild food intolerance that is showing up as itching.

The trick to figuring that out is to take the item away for 3 weeks. If she stops itching that would be great! Then add that item back 1 time after the 3 weeks and within 2 days if she starts itching her body has an intolerance to that food.

I think my son has an intolerance to wheat, gluten. We are testing him with that right now.

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K.C.

answers from Grand Junction on

Hi H.,
My daughter get this all the time and I have taken her to the doctor. They tell me every time that her underware is staying to wet for to long. My daughter would refuse to go to the bathroom and the result was that she would leak and that is what irritated her. So what we had to finally do was to set a timer for an hour and everytime the timer went off she was to go to the bathroom and drink some water. I know that she doesn't wipe well but she is getting better. Yes the bathes make a difference so my daughter is to only take showers and not a lot of soap of any kind. She still has it from time to time but I found that the bathroom schedule is a real big help
K.
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N.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

We've been through this with my daughter. The doctors never find anything wrong.

These things help:
-getting her to drink more water (dilutes her pee)
-a sitz bath (no soap, water as hot as she can stand it)
-apply a clear diaper cream to the itchy area. (then when she pees or leaks, the urine doesn't irritate the skin that's trying to heal.

please message me if you find anything else that works really well. thanks.

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S.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My Dr. just said to use a little lotrimon and it should take away the itch. If sheis eating a lot of sugar, swimming or dancing a lot with a leotard, it can cause irrition. good luck.

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R.S.

answers from Denver on

My 4 1/2 year old does this. For us it was that she doesn't wipe well enough. I bought the flushable wipes and have her use them and for a while every time she went potty I would wipe her to make sure she was clean enough to not be itchy. It works for the most part. She will sometimes scratch still, but I think some of it is that she's exploring the sensations down there. It's very strange seeing your 4 1/2 or any age child do that. I try to tell her that's something we do in private, but she doesn't totally get why. Hope this helps

R.

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S.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My daughter had this problem when she was younger. One doctor suggested I give her baths and showers less often, every other or every third day and that helped. Her skin may be getting too dry from all the baths and showers.

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S.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My daughter had a similar problem and a friend suggested having her clean there with anti bacterial hand soap. It cleared right up. It wouldn't hurt to try this for a couple of days since, especially if the doctor wasn't much help last time.

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H.R.

answers from Denver on

She may have labial adhesions. This is when the skin around the vagina grows together. Both my daughter and niece have suffered from this. Usually a cream called Premarin is prescribed to treat. You may want to have the doctor take a look to see if this is the case. If it is a yeast infection we too have had luck with Lotramin. Also, during baths I have my daughter take a wet wash cloth to clean the area. You may also want to try some Summers Eve feminine wash to clean there as well.

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C.C.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I didn't have any advice but wanted to see what your answers are, my 3 yr old has been itching too. I'm wondering if it isn't the type of fabric in underpants or her pull ups material...we use detergent with no dyes etc. too--anyway I will try what the other mom posted from her pediatricians website and if it doesn't work I think I will switch her pull up brand and try different underpants...
GL

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S.M.

answers from Casper on

give her a bath and pour in some apple cider vinegar. You can also use it to wash hair, it feels really good the first time, just keep it out of her eyes. As herbs go, black walnut can be very helpful.

http://www.herballegacy.com/Itch.html

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A.C.

answers from Colorado Springs on

What kind of soap do you use? I stopped using bar soap & switched to body wash (St Ives) which cleared up my problems. I went from near-monthly infections (TMI, sorry) to none in a few years. Try giving baths/showers less often, remind her to wipe from her belly button side to her bottom side (front to back) & keep up the "free" detergent.

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J.P.

answers from Salt Lake City on

We dealt with this for a while with our daughter. My doctor told us to stop giving her baths especially bubble baths because sometimes dirt or soap can get in the vagina and irritate it. Sometimes I would have her soak in the bath and I would put vinegar or baking soda which did help. My doctor said that cortisone cream would be OK to use as well triple antibiotic. and she also gave me 2 different prescriptions to alternate between. Although the soaking baths would help the relief did not seem to last long. The cortisone and prescriptions helped the most. Good Luck... I felt so bad when my little one was going through this!

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K.M.

answers from Missoula on

Try putting a small amount of cornstarch in her panties after she potties. That might help relieve the excess moisture that she may be having.
I hope this helps - Kay

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