Foreskin inflamed? Don't panic!
Once again an "unfair" topic, because it only affects boys. It's about balanitis or foreskin inflammation, a common condition in young boys and one that often makes parents extremely anxious. It is also often wrongly regarded as an emergency, although it is not usually such a dramatic story.
It happens relatively quickly in boys that the foreskin turns a little red at the front and also relatively quickly that there is a cloudy yellowish secretion that runs out of the foreskin. This is the moment when parents react particularly anxiously because they think, oh God, my child's penis is about to fall off. But of course that doesn't happen.
In most cases, the foreskin and glans are simply a little inflamed and in the vast majority of cases this can be easily managed by applying compresses with local disinfectants such as Octenisept. If it doesn't get any better, you can also apply antibiotic ointments or antibiotic drops or drip them into the foreskin.
The message is actually this: If you discover the above symptoms in your child, you can remain relaxed and contact your paediatrician, who will then discuss the treatment with you. And: As long as the child is otherwise healthy, does not have a high temperature and can wee well, which is usually the case, it is not an emergency and can be seen the next day.
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Phubbing
From what, please? Phubbing. A word that would be best if it didn't exist. It's a contraction of the two English words "phone" and "snubbing", which means to snub or offend. And it describes the moment when an interaction or communication is interrupted by reaching for a smartphone or other digital media.
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Infections with meningococci (bacteria that can cause dangerous meningitis, for example) are fortunately very rare and fortunately we can also do a lot to prevent them with vaccinations (more on this in Part II).
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