Our 7yr old daughter has recently had vaginal irritation & according to the doctors it's not a UTI or anything wrong inside. She probably scratches herself to hard or cleanse herself to hard and irritates the area.
Is she to old for Desitin?
Unless she’s wearing diapers a diaper rash cream won’t help.
A diaper rash cream works by creating a barrier for skin so poop/pee doesn’t burn it.
If she’s scratching herself then she’s not cleaning herself properly after using the bathroom.
Sometimes bubble bath can be irritating to that area so if she uses bubble bath she needs to stop using it.
I do not think that is the purpose for Desitin, as it is a diaper rash creme.
The first thing I would do would be ask the DR for a recommendation for something. Also limit any bubble bath, have you recently changed laundry soap?
She needs to stop scratching, it only makes it worse.
i don’t think it’s a matter of being ‘too old’, more that there are way better things out there.
desitin can help chafed or irritated or windburned skin, or minor burns and so forth. it may help your daughter’s irritation somewhat, but it has a very strong unmistakable odor that may be embarrassing for her, and won’t stop the underlying problem of her scratching.
the first thing i’d do would be to make sure there are no scented products getting close to her. laundry detergent or body wash or scented tp may well be the culprit.
since you were wise enough to take her to the doctor and rule out a UTI, ask the doctor what she suggests. she may prescribe something, but it may well be that something OTC like monistat or just a cortisone cream will do the trick. coconut oil, for that matter.
there’s almost certainly a better answer than desitin.
khairete
suz
If you’ve talked to the doctor to rule out a UTI, why not make a quick call to the office to ask what’s best? Your pharmacy manager is also a good resource. I’m kind of shocked that a pediatrician didn’t give you more ideas on vaginal irritation, actually, especially in such a young child.
Also, assuming that this is caused by scratching or excessive cleansing is a huge leap. There could be other reasons, some of them serious.
I can’t believe the doctor didn’t offer any suggestions, or that you didn’t ask. It’s probably a sensitivity to laundry soap, or bubble bath or shower gel. VERY common reaction. Switch to dye free, fragrance free products and I’ll bet it clears up.
I’ve used it on my 6 year old, but not for vaginal irritation. I’ve used it when she wipes too hard after #2 and her skin gets raw/sensitive. I am not sure I would use it for vaginal irritation.
I would be very upset if my child’s ped didn’t offer any more that this.
Use Dreft or Tide Free to wash her clothes. If she has any bubble bath stuff, get rid of it. I would give her cranberry juice without sugar just in case she has irritation in her urethra that hasn’t shown up in the urinalysis. If none of this helps, I would ask for her to be checked again for a UTI.
Make sure her panties all have cotton crotches. She shouldn’t be wearing tight jeans or pants.
Vagisil pH Balance wash is good for cleaning. Tell her to not to use a washcloth on her vulva. Just apply it to the front and back with her hand and then rinse. This product is SO much better to use down there than soap. Soap makes me burn, and the Vagisil has been wonderful for me, so I can heartily recommend it.
I don’t know the answer about using Desitin, but I don’t see how it can hurt. My son didn’t always get his rear end clean and sometimes he’d get red and it hurt. I gave him Desitin to use and he always got a reminder about proper cleaning making it so he wouldn’t hurt in the first place, lol.
However, in your daughter’s case, it could be that she is wiping too hard after she pees. Tell her to blot instead of wipe. Her skin needs to heal, so maybe the Desitin would help with that. But it won’t stay healed if she doesn’t do what she needs to do to prevent it in the first place.
Best of luck here…
she might be allergic to something - like the bath soap or the laundry detergent you use. I don’t understand why the pediatrician didn’t help you further nor give you options.
Use ALL FREE & CLEAR in your laundry.
Ensure she doesn’t SIT in a bath tub and takes a shower.
Ensure that her clothes fit her properly too - underwear too tight will cause issues.
I would use A&D ointment.
Are they sure there is no sexual assault?
If she’s seen multiple doctors for this then I find it unusual that they wouldn’t have suggested how to go about clearing it up and alternatives to try. They should have recommended changes to her routine as suggested below.
Some of those ointments can be used for minor skin irritations and minor burns, etc.
We have a cream called Penaten that can be applied for redness just about anywhere.
If you can use it on a baby I think it would be alright for a seven year old. Also my friends daughter kept getting rashes in that area her Doctor said don’t do bubble baths the ingredients can be to hard on that delicate skin! Just use baby shampoo and put some in the tub for bubbles!
I don’t understand the doctor not giving instructions for treatment.
I would try coconut oil if the pediatrician didn’t give any guidance. I was using it for an issue I had and checked with my GYN to make sure it was okay. She said it was one of the things she highly recommended to her patients for dryness and irritation. Applying at night before bedtime gives the best opportunity for helping since it’s usually several hours before using the bathroom. Coconut oil has an anti fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. I use fractionated organic oil.
I agree with the other posters on no bubble baths and maybe a more mild/natural soap. Also some coaching on technique for cleaning herself.
I recommend you get a bidet. You can get one that has child settings or not. Teach your child how to clean herself using a bidet. She can use less harsh toilet paper & hopefully it’s cleaner & gentler. Also use A&D ointment. I agree with the others—Doctors should have been more helpful. I hope you have success.
Not too old at all I have used it for when I work out and my pads irritate me. Its a life saver. But if its from her scratching she probably needs to be cleaning herself better. Try maybe some wet flushable wipes for a bit.