Undiagnosed Symptoms in 4Yo Girl

Ms. B., since she is 4 yrs old, I'm assuming she is potty trained? What kind of detergent have you been using? Since she seems to get irritated down there, I would switch, and even bath soap. What is fine for a girl at 2 or 3 might not be fine for a girl who is 4, if she is not wiping properly, or not wiping at all.. touching herself w/ out hands being clean.. It could be a multitude of things. My daughter at 5 went through the same thing and once I changed detergent and bath soap to a more gentler form.. she was fine.. What I used for her clothes was Dreft and the johnson's baby wash for the bath.. Good luck mom..

When I was a kid, I would sometimes get what my Mom called "red bottoms." It was when I had drank juice or eaten a lot of fruits (which I loved) and the acids in the fruits, created the redness/irritation and yes, pain down there.

Maybe it is something she is eating?

Good luck,
Susan

I agree with Lola. It almost sounds like maybe she isn't getting cleaned down there properly. Not that you are doing it wrong but as we have said she's 4. My 7 year old still has problems wiping and cleaning herself properly. The wet wipes is an awesome idea....

My first thought was that it could be an allergy to a fragrance or something in the toilet paper...? Instead of wet wipes I would maybe help her for a week or so use a squirt bottle (like the one they give you after birth....lol!) to just rinse the area and use a towel to pat dry after using the bathroom. Otherwise you could try wet wipes, but it's possible she'd be allergic to the scent in those as well. It's worth a try!

Hoping for her sake (and yours!) that it clears up soon!

I agree that bath soap, laundry detergent or even fabric softeners could be the problem. As could some food or juice she's consuming.

You might look for natural and scent-free detergents (there are several good brands), and avoid fabric softeners like poison (many of the ingredients in most of them are toxic). I also have to wash my undies separately so I can run an extra rinse cycle, to which I add a half-cup of white vinegar. It's very good for stripping detergent residue and helping to soften the fabric.

If her panties are not already all cotton, that might be worth trying, too.

Finally, nurture those good gut bacteria. A yogurt with live cultures will help that.

Good luck. I'm glad you're paying such thoughtful attention to your little girls' discomfort.

I am a father to an 18 month old and I found out she had an allergy to citric acid. I would recommend keeping a time-line on her eating and drinking habits. Se if there is any correlation between foods and irritation. Good Luck.

We had a similar issue with one of my girls... we did everything... quit baths, no soap to the area, probiotics, cranberry juice, cotton undies, dye free, fragrance free everything...
Finally a friend of mine mentioned Gentian Violet which she uses for a cure all for just about anything vaginal. We tried that and it worked! We had to use it maybe 3 or 4 times over the course of a year and since then she has had no problems. If you decide you want to try this, you may have to check several pharmacies. We called around and found a CVS that carried it. Be warned this stuff is violently purple and it STAINS EVERYTHING it touches so be careful! You basically need to get a q-tip or something similar and "paint" it onto the entire affected area. It stays purple for several days and it WILL get on her panties etc so use some you don't mind having stained purple. Good luck and happy healing to your sweetie.

ok. i actually ahd this issue several times and discovered it was our toilet paper... it was white and fragrent free, but the brand (i can't remember which one) left a light lint that itched like CRAZY. i used the squirt bottle or whitch hazel pads for awhile and finally figured it out.

Not sure if this is a possible situation but when I was about that age I had similar issues and apparently I had a fold of skin that would grow over my (sorry, lack of medical terminology hope I don't offend) pee hole. It caused itching, redness and burning when I had to potty. It happened several times and each time I had to have to doctor open the area. It stopped after about 1 year. I had to have it done about 3 times. I also had a niece and a girl friends daughter with the same situation. My friends daughter actually had some sort of hormonal cream that she had to apply for a short time and she has been fine ever since. In every situation the doctor said no bath. Good luck! It is never easy when you feel helpless to a problem or situation with your child! I think it will disapear sooner than later though.

My daughter had the same issue. I took her to the doctor and there was no medical problems. The doctor told me to use Dove soap and not to give her bubble baths. She also said to make sure the area is properly cleaned making sure there was no soap left behind after washing and to make sure the area was completely dried. This helped.

Hi B.,
Your poor baby, :{ let see if I can help with my experiences.
My daughter still has this issue (years old), and our pediatrician says it's because she doesn't wipe good and sometime the urine can cause this itching and redness. The test would not show an infection if she is just not wiping good, because it's not an infection it's just that she's not reaching the right spots and getting all the urine off when she wipes.
Our pediatrician suggested when she has a flare up, before bringing her in to see her (I was in there like ever week with this issue at one point) to give her a baking soda bath, (instruction on the back of the box are wonderful) if this does the trick then that's all it was, but if the itching persisted to bring her in and get tested for yeast or UTI.. she tell me that in children 12 and younger, the likelyhood that it is a Yeast infection is very low, more often it's just not wiping good.
If this doesn't work for you, then I would consider changing toilet paper and looking into the detergents you use to clean your laundry (as alot of mom's have already suggested here in your blog) It could also be the fabric. Some people have allergic reactions to cotton or rayon or whatever... Have you had your child tested for allergies yet? You may want to consider that as well. Ask your Pediatrician if that is an option for her. It might help to determine if she has food allergies that may be causing this itching.
I hope this helps
Aloha
E. C

Hi! I know you posted your question back in Feb and I'm not really sure how I even came across it. However, my daughter had issues similar to this back around the age of 1. So much so that we had to go for kidney tests, x-rays, etc. We were even sent to a nephrologist. The pediatrician kept treating her for yeast infections prior to all the tests being done. Once I requested a referral to a nephrologist and we went to see one - that's when we found out that she never really had a yeast infection. He diagnosed her with vulva vaginitis - which basically means inflammation of the vulva around the vagina. To treat this he said whenever she had irritation in the area just put her in a tepid bath where the water covers her private areas and add about a cup of regular vinegar. Just let her sit in the bath for about 10-15 minutes. The vinegar will balance out her acid/base levels and she should start to feel better. It worked like a charm. I was terrified that something was really wrong with her kidneys and being sent to a nephrologist was maddening. All in all it was the nephrologist that made things better and put my mind at ease.

Good luck!!!

I took my daughter to the dr a few times w/symptoms similar to what u r explaining. I am always cautious w/down there since she had a few utis when she was younger. We got rid of baths-we only shower, but once a wk the dr rec sitiing in a warm bath for 15-20 min then draining and wash up and get out. Our ped said it is nothing to worry about-we do what she says and she is fine. Like u said we do not know if they wipe perfect evertime becaus eif your 4 yr old is like mine she wants to do it HERSELF-LOL! I would try and get rid of the baths first and see how that goes-hope this helps. L.:)

she may not be wiping herself properly. she most likely won't develop a UTI from that but redness, hence itchiness, will. my girls are 5 and when at home i still use wet wipes and i still wipe them. the times they do it themselves, one of them, always, and i mean always gets red down there. i have to use diaper rash cream which then takes several days to help the redness go away. so for now you continue wiping her. see if that makes a difference.

My daughter experienced similar problems/ concerns at that age. We did the same things that you are doing; no long baths, no bubble baths, etc. We also added cranberry juice to her diet to cleanse her body from time to time. It may be a physical development thing for some girls. My daughter no longer has the major itching, but she is fully in the bathroom alone now taking care of her "bodily functions" and therefore I don't always see or hear what is going on. When the irritation did bother her she openly told me, so I know she would continue to do so now.

I shared with my daughter to be careful scratching roughly in "that area" to avoid getting a cut or scrape. You may just have to wait it out a little longer. We went through it for much longer than 2 months. I also did light cornstarch to soothe the itching, but not always to avoid having problems with such a product.

Let her know that from time to time we (females) do have minor irritations on our bodies. Sometimes the stress of the itching makes the area itch more. Maybe help her to relax more when she starts to feel the itching come.

I hope this helps.

I will suggest using another Laboratory - a reliable one this time to confirm your earlier results. It is also important to commit this seriously into God's hand. Once the hand of the devil is removed, anything u are doing medically will be effective by God's grace.

Actually, I'm unusually itchy down there sometimes too. I use Summer's Eve Feminine Wash (it's just gentler) and then sprinkle baby powder in my underwear. Works like a charm. I just found I had a hard time keeping my PH balanced. Maybe that's your daughter's problem too. Might be worth trying.

My daughter, 7, has this issue periodically, too. We use only unscented Dove soap. She says the wet wipes are less irritating that toilet paper. I find that this usually occurs when she's not getting herself clean enough. She showers now instead of bathing & I help her get those parts really clean even though she thinks she's old enough to do it herself. Good luck to you & her-that can definitely be uncomfortable!

What kind of detergent do you use? Sometimes detergent can cause vaginitis...you might want to try using a more natural brand (Mrs. Myers or 7th Generation) or getting a dye free scent free kind. You can also not use fabric softener (liquid or dryer sheets) but get those dryer balls instead. Finally, you could do an extra rinse in the wash cycle....

My daughter had that problem but I don’t remember what age, but I think it was about 5 years old. The Dr. suggested changing laundry detergent, changing the bath soap we used, cutting back on foods that contain too much acid (fruits) and trying a different brand of underwear.

We always used the all natural detergent at an organic whole foods store as well as the soap – was all natural. We switched underwear brands first since I doubted it was our soaps we used. Sure enough that what is was. She was having some sort of allergic reaction to the cotton used in the brand I bought. Go figure! Once she started using a different brand, the redness stopped and never occurred again. Best of luck to you and your DD!

Aw poor baby! I don't know what to suggest may be the problem, as you seem to have ruled out so many possible causes. I can say that I have been sensitive " down there" for as long as I can remember. I was once told that eating yogurt would help balance everything out down there. So I eat at least one thing of yogurt everyday. Let me tell you, it worked wonders for me! I also don't use any body wash, soap, etc, to clean my vaginal area. I only use summer's eve sensitive w/out fragrance and when I did that I saw a big improvement. My daughter has used the summers eve since she was 3. I was afraid she may have the same issue as me. After I shower I also may sure I am thoroughy dry before I put on underwear. I hope this helps, Good luck! Oh you may also want to try wet wipes even when she pees, that would help "wash" away any bacteria she may be spreading around and always, playtex, and summers eve make wipes for exactly for this purpose.

try changing her soap and or laundry detergent.

You may already be doing all of these things, but here are a few things that come to my mind: make sure she is wearing 100% cotton underwear, bathe her in a sensitive skin body wash such as Dove Sensitive Skin and make sure you are using a laundry detergent that is free of dyes and fragrances. I hope you are able to pinpoint the problem soon and find relief for your little one! Good luck!

What about an allergic reaction to certain types of detergent or fabrics? Or the soap you are using to bathe her with? It's just a thought?

Have you tried to use a good gentle soap? Our pediatrician always said plain old original Dove soap was the purest and gentlest. Sorry I can't be more help!!! Good luck!!!

ok slow down i am still working on my first cup of coffee
so the doctor has done an exam and determined that it is not an infection,
allergy, forgetting to wipe properly etc. correct ??and there is no itching, or redness, correct ?? ok, next question, if the child puts her hands between her
legs and her hands and fingers are not clean, she could be giving herself the
infections, its possible.
K. h.

Have you checked your detergents and the material her panites are made of? I can only use certain detergents and only all cotton panties or I get the exact symptoms. Maybe it is a skin allergy? Maybe you can check with a dermatologist to rule a skin sensitivity out.

Hi there,
She could be allergic to any synthetic material in her underwear. We had that issue and had to goto the organic cotton ones- by Hanna Anderson. They are expensive at about 20$ for a three pack, but it helped. You can order them on line or goto a mall that has the store.
They have briefs (roomier fit) and briefs (tighter, smaller) we like the briefs.

You may have her, while at home, wear skirts or long shirts with no panties and see if the issue clears up. It may let you know she is allergic to something.
Also, for now, for her stuff- try fragrance free clothes detergent and NO DRYER sheets for her stuff. It is a pain, but it might be worth saving the doc visits.
We had some itching in our 4.5 year old and did this too. Also, the doc, just to help her out with her skin, prescribed GREERS GOO. It is a mix of zinc oxide, miconizole (i think) and cortizone cream.
If this doesnt work, I advise you to see a dermatologist or allergist to rule out any allergy or skin condition. My 2.5 year old sees a dermatologist for skin issues because she seems to have an allergy that the allergist couldn't pinpoint.
For now though, perhaps the weekend = she can go panty free (no pants, no underwear, just long shirts or dresses or skirts) while she is home...
Good luck and I am sorry. I know it is awful.

Is your daughter allergic to the soap you are using? Try washing her only with baking soda water and see if the problem goes away. AF

i would first make sure as someone else said that there's no chance she was abused ... horrible to consider, i know ... but it could be an std if she was
next i would go to a neurologist ... it could be neurological. i had this real bad ... ignored and misdiagnosed repeatedly ....
it is nerve damage from b12 deficiency and multiple sclerosis
don't give up without an answer

It may just be dry skin. My daughter does the same thing. And it's the same in our house no bubble baths and as soon as she's been washed up, she's out. I would try to find a product for moisureizing. KY makes a silk kind it's not goupy or thick like regular KY, and I think vagasil makes something similar.

A friends daughter just had the same symptoms, and finally was diagonsed with a strep infection. Same issues you mention, not a UTI and not yeast, but when they did the strep test--bingo!

Have you tried probiotics? How often does she take a bath? If daily, maybe try every other day, and vice versa, if not daily, try that. I wonder if switching to wellness products would help too. There are a lot of chemicals in laundry and personal care products. I've been shopping with a wellness company for 4 years, and we've seen changes in many health issues. Happy to share more info. Good luck! Some interesting sites:
www.10Americans.com; saferforyourhome.com

Certain toilet paper brands give me the same reaction. Hope it's that simple for you.

Could be an allergy to laundry soap or softener, have you switched around much?

Maybe you've already done this but, have you checked to see if she's allergic to your laundry detergent, fabric softener or soap? When I was young, my mother found I was very sensitive to a lot of those items and I've had to stick with Tide, Downy and Dove or Ivory soap all of my life. Any changes have caused intense itching, hives, etc. Just a suggestion.

Try changing laundry detergent. Wash her clothes in something like Arm & Hammer Free & Clear or a similar perfume-free, dye-free product and do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets. Most of my family members have mild allergies to scented products and just switching laundry soap made us all much more comfortable.

I hope this helps!

My assumption is that if she weren't properly wiping, something would have shown-up on the vaginal swab.

Has your pediatrician discussed referring you out to a specialist? I'm wondering if a dermatologist would be able to help specify the pathology of the cause.

Have they also had you use any kind of barrier on her genitalia as a preventative measure? Kind of like using diaper rash ointments to prevent moisture from agitating a baby's skin?

The pediatrician would likely have done a swab across her rectum as well as the cause of a many vaginal infections is from fecal matter that is improperly wiped into the vaginal area.

Good luck. So sorry she has to deal with this at such a young age?

My only other thought is whether or not they've considered an allergic reaction to something that's presenting in the sensitive skin of the genitals?

Strange, but my daughter and I have the same problem. We just can't take baths. I can with a bathing suit on, but otherwise I guess our bodies just don't do baths... Baths are fun, but showers can make life much easier and pleasant for all. Good luck. I hope it ends up being something simple.

My 4.5 year old daughter has the same problem! If you figure it our please post what helped so that we can benefit too. We have done everything that you already said in your original post. I just put desitin on her when she gets red and a few hours later its much better. UGH! I hate that for little girls.

We are having the exact same problem with our daughter. The doctor suggested Lotriem cream in case there was some kind of underlying yeast infection. We just started that the other day. if not that, then we will be going back to the dr at some point.