Moms of girls

[macksmom]

What do you do if/when your daughter says her vag hurts? Do they let you inspect? Mine say it occasionally...I am sure it's from inadequate wiping. I try to get them to wipe really well with a baby wipe and put some of the baby's cream on themselves. If I do it they get all squirmy and ticklish. They are 4 and 6 and I don't want to feel like I am "forcing" myself on them you know?

DD2 is complaining currently. She wont let me near it. She says it's red (I haven't seen it yet). They take showers during the week and baths on the weekend. I'd rather try to inspect and help things than bring her to a doc to do it.....I do worry about infection. I have not noticed any discharge and she has not reported any.

[jazzmom]

Our problem is more itching than hurting, although DD2 has complained of hurting sometimes. I agree about the wiping...I even talked to a nurse about it once. She said that's usually the problem with girls and to add baking soda to their baths. I also back off on the bubble baths when issues arise. Re: taking a look, DD2 is fine, DD1 is a little more reserved. Since it's mostly itching with her, I just tell her to wipe really, really well. If there's no discharge I don't worry too much. This seems to happen a couple times a year or so.

[GA1977]

Parker is almost 5. Randomly she will complain that her "front butt" or "back butt" hurt (thats what she calls them). I wipe with a baby wipe then put on cream if she needs it. She doesn't like it.....she says it hurts/tickles but she allows me to do it because she knows it will stop hurting. If I think she could do it herself ...then I would have her do it herself.

[Bridget]

If she doesn't want me to touch it, I won't but I will show her how to put cream on it and also let her know that it's better if she lets me take a look so I know it's nothing serious and that it will save us a trip to the dr. I think she uses diaper cream regularly on her own now.

[macksmom]

Ooo good tip with the baking soda. That is what I was hoping someone would say something good I could put in their bath. I am not shy about telling them how and what to do but they are just not really doing it and wont let me do it. I think this whole ticklish thing is partly why this is happening because they are not "getting up in there" so-to-speak when wiping or cleaning. And yes they say itching or hurting....they interchange them.

[kellyowens]

I second the baking soda suggestion. I mentioned this at one of my dd's check-ups and my pedi said it's called vulvitis and that it's really common. He said they usually outgrow it around 8-10yrs old when their self-hygiene improves and hormones start to kick in.

His recommendations were:

Avoid bubbles in the bath
Let the child play and do the washing last so they're not soaking in the soap/shampoo
Use baking soda or oatmeal in their baths if they're sore/itchy
Apply hydrocortisone cream if it's very bothersome (my girls do this themselves by the time they're 4yrs)
Teach them good hygiene (wipe front to back)
Make sure their hands are clean before bed (they're most likely to have their hands down there at night)
Call if there's a foul-smelling discharge

If I apply the cream after they're potty-trained I have them sit on the potty and lean forward...I apply it quickly with one swipe like if I was wiping them. That position usually reduces the tickle/giggle

[wannabmomof3]

We get that here too. I usually help her wipe and apply diaper cream. She squirms about it too, but I give her the option of showing me or the doctor...she always chooses me. I know it's because she doesn't wipe good. Our toilet paper roll is quite far from the toilet so sometimes she just doesn't wipe.

[ljs318]

Avoid bubbles in the bath
Let the child play and do the washing last so they're not soaking in the soap/shampoo
Use baking soda or oatmeal in their baths if they're sore/itchy
Apply hydrocortisone cream if it's very bothersome (my girls do this themselves by the time they're 4yrs)
Teach them good hygiene (wipe front to back)
Make sure their hands are clean before bed (they're most likely to have their hands down there at night)
Call if there's a foul-smelling discharge

If I apply the cream after they're potty-trained I have them sit on the potty and lean forward...I apply it quickly with one swipe like if I was wiping them. That position usually reduces the tickle/giggle

Good tips! Mine get some itching/redness from time to time as well. I'm also sure it's from not properly wiping. They will let me take a look if they complain and I'll just take a quick peek and apply some cream.

[MaryJane]

Moira used to have a lot of issues with this and Vada too. Ped told me to run a few inches of water in the tub with some baking soda and have them sit in it for 15-20 mins. It worked 100% of the time.

[kellyowens]

One other thing I forgot to mention...my bff's family feared the worst when she had chronic irritation (abuse) but come to find out it was the way her mom was laundering her underwear. She stopped using bleach and the issues resolved . I would think the same thing would apply to laundry detergents or fabric softeners...maybe switch to a free and clear if the problem is persistant.

[Bridget]

Good to know about the baking soda!

[MomOfAnOnly]

Emme gets rashes just from having extremely sensitive skin. Well and I suspect the wipes that we've used forever became an issue too, so we recently switched to homemade ones. But I wipe her every time she uses the bathroom, and I usually check her over for rashes a few times a week or whenever she complains about being itchy. She has no issue with it.

[tyvek]

This thread has made my day. Izzy complains about it hurting or itching about once or twice a week. Thanks for all the tips...and making me feel like we are not the only one with this issue. She will let me look/wipe and applet ointment as well. But she doesn't really like that.

[macksmom]

Thanks for all the great advice! This issue has been upsetting me and I am not glad others deal with it but feel better than my girls are not the only ones. It was making me feel like I was doing something wrong

How much baking soda in the bath?

[hotpinkmomma0811]

Sophia isn't old enough to tell but, I think that having a look or applying a diaper cream would help. I had similar issues sometimes when I was a young girl and I was so afraid to ask my mom so I am glad your daughter(s) are coming to you. Sophia actually thinking about it had a diaper rash that would not go away with multiple creams the doctor prescribed her a yeast infection medicine. I would double check with the doctor if things get worst. Or ask if there is an over the counter medicine that would work for her age.

[MaryJane]

I just sprinkle it all around really quick.

[sookie4415]

I have a 4 and 6 year old too(both girls) and the 6 year old wipes well...but the 4 year old is terrible and I think she skips it most of the time(always in a hurry)...she frequently complains of hers being red and itchy and she will let me look, clean, put cream on it. What I have found that helps is every night before bed now we are doing a wet wipe and changing underpants at bed time and she seems to be a lot better. Baths also help her, but she only gets one of those on weekends other wise we do showers every other day...

[cheeksy]

Potassium permanganate is a saviour for both of my girls and myself. I don't know if you can get it. We buy it here in tablets. I dissolve 2 small tablets in a jar and keep it closed. I add it every once in a while to DD2 bath and if any irritation occurs for both, I have them sit in hot enough solution for about 15 minutes. Soda bicarbonate also does the deed but potassium permanganate is somewhat better. The solution should be light pink color. And it helps with other body rashes well! Air drying or drying with a hair dryer (at a safe distance).
I also wash both girls's bottoms with water and a bit of baby soap every time they poop. My DD1 comes from kindergarten sometimes with irritated bum or vg area because they don't wipe there well (eek!). So I do the bath, air dry and then apply some vaseline on the area around.

[LilMama]

So glad I read this thread! Addie had complained various times about having a "sore bum" She's generally pretty good to let me investigate and so far putting sudocream on her has helped a lot. But the baking soda in her bath would be very helpful I'm sure. Thanks for all the great tips ladies

[macksmom]

She keeps complaining about it despite the baths but I think it's getting better. She has been letting me check more and wipe in there. There was a (tmi) bit of a white stuff build up but it was at the top not near the opening so I don't know what that was about. I had her put some desitin on it a bit ago and it was the max strength type that is hard to wipe off so I think it was that. I don't notice discharge in her underwear or anything. She was wearing pullups to bed but I switched her to padded cloth underwear and I have been washing her clothes with a dye-free detergent. We are doing another bath today and hopefully that will be the end of the complaints or else we will have to let the doc check her out I guess....

[LilMama]

Addie has had the whitish stuff on her vulva too. Doctor suggested a light layer of Canesten or Monistat for YI's. It did help when we used it too. Hope she soon gets some relief.

[macksmom]

Addie has had the whitish stuff on her vulva too. Doctor suggested a light layer of Canesten or Monistat for YI's. It did help when we used it too. Hope she soon gets some relief.

Thanks. I am trying to see if it reappears since I wiped it off last time. They are BOTH complaining about it now! We are about to do baths right now. I can't tell if it is really bothering them or they are just being whiney or if one is saying it because the other is. Today DD1 was complaining that her finger "hurt sooooo much" - it was a TINY dot cut.... So I can't really judge if this is a real problem or not!