What does phimosis mean in children?

Phimosis is very common in clinical practice. Generally, phimosis is mainly divided into congenital phimosis and acquired phimosis. Many people are also concerned about what phimosis in children means. Phimosis in children is also a phenomenon in which the foreskin and reproductive organs are adhered to each other, which is related to the age of the child.

1. For newborn boys, there is a slight adhesion between the foreskin and the head of the reproductive organ, which is a normal phenomenon. However, if the child still has symptoms of phimosis at a certain stage of development, it needs to be taken seriously. Phimosis in children is related to the age of the child. If the child is under 4 years old, parents do not need to worry even if the child has phimosis, because it may heal itself (in fact, it is normal growth and development). If a child is over 4 years old and still has phimosis, parents should first conduct family treatment, and only perform surgery if it doesn't work.

2. There are abundant sebaceous glands in the foreskin, which can secrete a large amount of sebum. When phimosis occurs, the secretions of the sebaceous glands in the foreskin cannot be discharged, and the sebum and sediment in the urine combine to form the cheese-like and smelly "smegma". Smegma is suitable for bacterial growth, so it can cause inflammation of the glans penis and foreskin. Bacteria can also cause urinary tract infection through the urethra. Inflammation occurring at the urethral opening may cause narrowing of the urethral opening after healing, resulting in difficulty in urination. Parents must pay attention to their children's genital problems. This is not only for the sake of the children, but also for their future happiness. When a child develops phimosis, he or she should go to the hospital for treatment in time to avoid the harm of phimosis.

3. Parents should frequently turn over their children’s foreskin for cleaning to prevent smegma from forming and adhering to the foreskin. For children with phimosis that cannot be turned over, balloon dilatation can be performed in the early stage to enlarge the external opening of the foreskin so that it can be turned over normally for easy cleaning. After the child grows up, surgical treatment can be performed depending on the situation.