How to Determine if a Child Has Phimosis
Disease description:
The child is now seven years old. Some of the other children around have already had circumcision surgery at the hospital. I'm not sure myself whether my child has a long foreskin. Could you please advise how to determine whether a child has an overly long foreskin?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Luo Yong
To determine whether a child has phimosis (tight foreskin), the following methods can be used:
1. Observe the foreskin opening: In children with long foreskin, the opening may be tight and narrow, making it difficult to retract the foreskin naturally. The glans may only be exposed manually.
2. Glans exposure: If the glans cannot be fully exposed in a flaccid state or during an erection, this may indicate phimosis.
3. Urination pattern: Phimosis may lead to difficulty urinating, such as slow or weak urine stream, or ballooning of the foreskin during urination.
4. Redness, swelling, itching, or pain: Excess foreskin can cause accumulation of smegma, increasing the risk of inflammation, which may result in symptoms like redness, swelling, itching, or pain.
5. Other signs: Recurrent episodes of balanitis or posthitis may also be caused by phimosis.
