For about the last year about once a week or sometimes more my 5-1/2 year old daughter complains that she is sore "down there". When this started I was a stay at home Mom, with her 24/7. It gets red and stings when she urinates and sometimes all the time. When I put balmex she says it help but I'm not sure. It will just go away on it's own and come back again. I've been to the doctor and they say she could be having a reaction to soaps. I only use All free and clear on her underclothes and Dove soap for sensitive skin. I have even tried not using soaps, only doing showers etc. Nothing has worked. Has anyone else had a girl that has had "female problems"? She itches sometimes, but no odor or discharge. Also on a seperate note, she seems to have stomaches all the time. Even after BMs. The doctor said she just needs to eat more veggies. The doctors don't seem too concerned with these problems but they don't have to live with them everyday. I feel just awful for her. Any ideas? Thanks.

[This message has been edited by Shel (edited 01-09-2001).]

Is she holding her urine? or urinating fequently? Try cranberry juice for a while. My daughter also get red and ichy on occation she also chaffs easly. Could her pants be rubbing her wrong? For my daughter I use plain vasaline and it helps and is gone in a day we changed soap back to johnson & johnson baby soap sensitive w/aloe.Not as many episodes since. She bathes daily. I use only dye and fragence fee soap and softner.

She may be holding her urine, she seems to always wait until the last minute and then she goes running into the bathroom, I've discussed this with her, but she says she didn't have to go until just then (you know 5 yr olds). I took her to the doctor on Wednesday and she did a culture to see if she could have an infection with bacterial strep B! Never heard of getting that down there. I only use All free & Clear (of perfumes and dyes) on her underclothes and no fabric softener. Maybe I should do the same with all her clothes? I also use Balmex when she gets sore and she says it helps. The doctor prescribed Nystin. We go back next Wednesday to see the test results. Thanks for the help! I've been going nuts with this!

Shel- My daughter is 4 and she can hold her potty for hours we have to remind her at times. I was thinking infection too like unrinary track infection. Let me know what the doctor says and how it can develop.
Thanks

Ser-Thanks for all your help. I'll let you know what the doctor says later this week.

Ser,

I took my daughter back to the doctor yesterday. Her culture for strep came back negative. The doctor said to take it further we would have to see a specialist in gynecology for children, BUT, since their is no discharge or odor she thinks it's just extra sensitive down there and to keep putting some sort of ointment or the prescription for nystatin down there. She asked me to use it everyday for ten days and then stop and see what happens. I really don't want to take her to the specialist and the doctor didn't seem to think it was necessary. So hopefully she'll grow out of it. And soon!

Shel

Shel,

My daughter is 6 1/2 now. Starting when she was almost 5 yrs. She started getting itchy and "rashy" down on her bum. I took her to the doctor several times. They told me she wasn't getting clean enough down there. They wanted me to make sure she wipes herself clean after urinating and deficating. I was told to get some of those flushable wipes. We did this and a while later it happened again, but not as bad. I took her to the Dr. and he said that there is no infection and that she is still not getting clean enough, and same thing again, and to get the wipes, etc.
I think what is happening is after about 4 years of age, I began slacking on doing all of the washing for her (in the tub), especially down there. Now I step in while she is taking a bath and remind her to get all the "white yucky stuff" out of there and get it clean. I frequently remind/ask her about her wiping and if she is getting it clean when she wipes. I was using the A+D ointment with zinc oxide for the rashes, I explained to her that the rash she is getting is like a diaper rash, and if she doesn't keep her bottom clean, we have to put stuff on her bottom, just like a baby. She is a little girl, not a baby, and I expect her to remember to keep her bottom clean. I don't know if this is the same problem, but this is what was causing my daughters rash. We have been rid of those pesky rashes for about a whole 9 months now. Good luck.
Oh and I forgot about the stomach aches....my daughter used to always complain about stomach aches. My daughter liked to go to daycare, but everymorning since she was about 2 she always complained about having stomach aches in the morning. I never understood, and couldn't figure out why. I never remembered to ask her doctor, then one day at about 4 yrs. I was chatting with her daycare "teacher" and I mentioned her stomach aches, and asked if she ever was getting those there. She said no, and that she has never complained about any. She also mentioned that her daughter used to do that too, and that it was mostly because she was tired. I started paying attention to when she was complaining, and it turned out to be on the days that she got less sleep. I also stopped acknowleding them as much (giving her less sympathy) and they started to disappear. She still complaines on some mornings, mostly on Mondays.

[This message has been edited by Shaelle (edited 01-19-2001).]

Shel, Thanks for the update. I hope the cream works for you. It could be a "wipe" issue. Even though I still wash my daughter at tub time she does her own cleaning during the day. So it could be the bacteria in the feces flaring up the tenderness/iching...

Shaelle,

Thanks for the info. I have also been letting my daughter wash herself, I'll have to remind her each day to wash there better. I have talked to her about the wiping. I just don't know if she's doing what I tell her. Thanks again!

Hi My daughter is 8 and I remember at about that age she went through the soreness down there also. she is very suceptable to urinary inections also so we use positively no bubblebath even unscented. Also do not let her sit in a tub with soap or shampoo in it. I always was her hair and her body and let the water out then rinse with the shower head. She does her own baths most of the time but I can tell when she needs mom to step in for a serious scrub. She Hates it though. She had lots of trouble with gauldingfrom her urine and hurt and was red and we just faithfully used A and D ointment down there after her bath even as a precausion. I tell ya I have the same trouble if I don't drink my water.
I use a little crisco shortning to stop the itching and discomfort. I had a doc tell me that was an inexpensive healer. Hey it works .I keep a little cup in my bathroom drawer.
Theydo hold at that age and the urine gets strong . does she drink water? I bought my daughter her own water bottle and she drinks it well now.
As for tummy achesIremember that also. I took her to the Doc and the Doc told me she was constapated. I was shocked for she would go daily but it was nothing but a pile of marbles. little did i know she had started school and didn't want to go in school so it was hard and not all was coming out. A good clean out and senocot every
couple days got her back into the swing and no more tummy aches. even at this age we gotta check to make sure they take the time I guess. She is eight now and since my son has such a time with his BM's I always say to her whens the last time you went???? She hates that. I find her on the weekends in the bathroom alot so I know she still doesn't go like she should through the week.
good luck to you and I am sure its nothing serious just one of the pains us women have to deal with that starts young LOL.

Susan-

Thank you so much for your advice! I have found that I pretty much have to keep stuff on her "down there" all the time. And it works. I know she needs to drink more water and eat more veggies. It's just really hard to get her to do those things. Especially the veggies!! Thanks again!

Shel