Sensitive Advice needed - Vulvovaginitis or Vaginal Itching in young girls?

hardpressed

Bit of a long shot but someone I used to know was very sensitive down below and had to be very careful what she she used to clean the bath. Staying away from home, she alway had a shower just in case. A tiny residue of cleaner in the bath set her off.

skintmostofthetime

just because YOU haven't altered powder doesn't mean they haven't altered it. Try and check this.
If it's any help plain unflavoured yogurt really helps if applied to area. Mucky/messy but really cooling if applied from fridge - works really well on sunburn too. Not much help long term but short term hope it's useful. She has my deepest sympathy - they used to call this the `honeymoon desease' but it would not be so in her case `cos it was usually contracted due to `intimate relations' . Good luck in solving this one.

skintmostofthetime

Oh had another thought - I would say -DON'T wash her too often - she's too young to have female discharges - if you get me - so a rinse in cool water and a wash on alternate days won't hurt her and it' ll give you a chance to try and find out just what does trigger it. Good luck again.

blue_monkey_2

Well, I resported in giving Piriton, it is hard to keep her dry because at the moment for example she is in and out of the pool and the sand pit, she hardly ever has clothes on really, I am told that the piriton makes them tired so there is one bonus!! I forgot to add, she also saw a skin specilist at the hospital to rule out allergies on this area and that also drew a blank, then we went to the teenage gynea specialist. I will check out the canesten, I do have some hydrocorsitone here so will stick to that and buy the ordinary canesten for the itching but the doctor told me it'll take about 2 weeks to clear up. The thing is, she is only 4 and knows her own mind and I can't realy stop her doing things like going in the pool, it is something we have to learn to live and deal with and treat accordinally but up until now we have never had any real 'treatment' she has had the strong steroid creams but they are not a long term solution and can only be used for a week. luckily we wil be fine when we get over this hiccup but you get to the point where you feel like you are wasting the doctors time when they can't find anything. Luckily my doctor is great and totally down to earth so we can dicuss it more in length than i could do with a man doctor. Thanks for all the advice.

peace-babies

hi, i have sensitive skin and ecsma (Sp?) on my vaginal area and have had since i was a young un. and a couple of things i find useful when it flares up are to sit in a cool bath not with bubble stuff in it just plain water as it soothes the area, i have some hydrocortisone fro mthe doctor which clears it up (also good if kept in the fridge) and then use an emoilient for the rest of the time also sometimes oilatum in the bath can be good as its really moisturising although best checking with doctor about that, antihistamines good also and at bedtime try her with jsut a pair of knickers on her lower half, if anything at all as the skin keeps cooler, and check your washing powder i used to be able to use a non biological one until the manufacturers changing the contents and it literally sent my skin on fire and i now find a biological one and senstive fabric conditioner cause no problems at all. I also agree with another poster about not washing everyday (so long as shes clean) young childrens skin is sensitive esp in that area and washing with soaps and what not everyday will just irritate even more just use some warm water if neccassery.

KittyKate

I just want to say how much I sympathise. I don't have any problems 'down there' but I do have horrendous allergies to the daftest things and I can only imagine how much worse it is for a little one especially in the private area. My allergies are to any biological washing powder, and pretty much any washing powder except Persil or Surf (both sensitive), Dove products (good for your skin my eye!) 'cheap' moisturiser (like own brand stuff, I can only use Johnsson PH 5.5), face paint, most foundations, anything with hemp in, cherries/cherry products, aspirin (inc skin gels).

My allergy comes out as a fierce, oily looking but actually quite dry, bumpy lumpy rash. The only thing I can do is avoid using anything other than water and that stuff you get from the chemist (it's pinkish, and you dab it all over and it dries! awful stuff but it works!)

I haven't had a flare up for three years by managing to avoid all allergens (it's harder than you think to avoid cherries!) - I hope you and your little girl can get this sorted soon because it really is a misery, is an itchy rash.

LindseyM

i know this might sound horrible, but has she been checked for worms? I had these when I was a kid, the itching was terrible, i'd literally be tearing my skin off!! my mum used to get warm soapy water (washing up liquid i think) and a flannel and would douse the area - these little white things, usually only one (tiny tiny white lines they looked like) would come out an the itching would be gone!!

eugh, that sounds disgusting now i've written it down but thought it might be worth a shot?

Good luck, I know how horrible it can be so it must be doubly bad for a 4 yo (my DD's 4 also so I know how they are when it comes to having their own mind! )

blue_monkey_2

Hi again,

Thanks again for all the replies, they have been useful, any information is useful though to be honest, I have not really had any until now. My daughter did have tests for pin worms yes, these are the ones that are the problems apparently. I have some really useful links to sort out. These things are never spoken about are they yet so many people have the same problems. I hope someone else has been able to get something useful out of this message as well.

BM xx

keelykat

Hi, my niece who is 9 has had problems with thrush since she was little-my sister said wearing knickers that are too tight make things worse so looser or bigger pants helps.

As an adult, who has suffered down there with problems-i can sympathise! I don't totally know what triggers it off sometimes-sometimes i wonder if if could be stress/worry related....as i chage nothing. I personally haven't suffered much in the past couple of years, but when i did-it drove me mad esp at night!

She is too young to be affected by hormones, sex etc-so i'd def take a check what is in the washing powders etc-even if you are using the same one-you don't know if the manufacturer has changed anything.

I don't rec creams with steriods in for down there for a young girl, not a good idea. Keep things simple, and don't wash too much-that can irritate things even more!

Hope you find a solution soon, best wishes,

Keely.

inkie

Has she been tested for diabetes?