O Cooter! My Cooter!

Okay, so I'm not actually talking about my cooter, but the Walt Whitman reference didn't work otherwise.

If any experienced moms are reading this, I could use some advice. Sometime last year, A began complaining about her nether region. "My gyna hurts," she said. We don't let her take bubble baths, so I knew that wasn't the culprit. As a young child I was hospitalized with a kidney infection and the doctor told my poor, guilt-ridden mother that Mr. Bubble was the cause of my malady. I do have memories of sitting on the potty, totally refusing to pee, while my mother ran my hand under cold water in case that might cause some sort of reflex (it never did, and to this day I cannot pee in front of my mom . . . not that peeing in front of my mom is something that comes up too frequently). But anyway, I am cautious about all things related to the entire urogenital system.

I took A to the pediatrician, who could not find anything wrong with her. She examined her thoroughly, and ran a urinalysis and a urine culture. Nothing. Nada. Rien.

Because the problem seems to come and go, I didn't worry too much about it over the next few months. When she would complain about it, I would slather some A&D ointment on her and that would seem to help, at least temporarily.

As my three regular readers know, the kid has been housebroken for a couple months now. I wasn't sure if that would change the issue in some way. I can now get a better feel for her frequency of urination and because of that, I'm fairly confident that she does not have a urinary tract infection. However, I have been eye to eye with her while she is on her little potty and there have been times I have seen her wince.

At her three-year appointment earlier this month, I mentioned it to her new pediatrician (the old one moved away) and he poked around and said that the kid's cooter looks just fine.

So where does that leave us? P says that she is just doing it to get attention. I say, maybe something is going on. I would be a jerk of the highest order if I just let it go and there was an infection or medical condition of some sort. We actually had an argument about it last night. Apparently my husband fancies himself a vagina expert. P's father, God rest his misogynist soul, was an expert on everything (and I mean EVERYthing) so I cringe every time P starts sharing his own wealth of knowledge, even though he is always wrong. (Thank God for Google - it settles a lot of arguments at our house.)

Do I take her to a urologist now? Take her back to the pediatrician and require him to take a closer look and run another urinalysis? I'm all ears here!

p.s. Spellcheck does not like the word "cooter."

Comments

Anonymous said…
If she keeps mentioning discomfort, I think you should take her to the urologist just to make sure everything's fine. It will ease your mind and it will take your daughter's complaints seriously.
Jen J said…
As someone who doesn't have kids this might not carry a lot of weight, but can you get her to describe more to you what it feels like? Does it burn? Does it feel like when she skins her knee?

Try to get her to drink more water and see if that clears it up. I know that when urine is more concentrated it tends to burn some people.

If it doesn't clear up I would definitely take her to a urologist. Good luck!
Anonymous said…
Like Jen said, I definitely think you should see if Adrienne can describe the feeling to you, and then I would definitely take her to another doctor or a urologist. Awww...poor girl!
Mary said…
I know this isn't a funny problem but you still make me laugh.;)But as far as Adrienne my GUESS would be that it's not a UTI since it comes and goes without treatment. But that doesn't mean she can't have some kind of irritation or burning without an infection. What I might do is call your pediatricians nurse and explain the situation and hopefully she can lead you to a great urologist. Then I would giver his/her nurse a buzz and see what she thinks and see if it warrants a check up by him. I would not overlook her symptoms but yes, it could easily be nothing. I myself have a history of burning and pressure and FINALLY was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. I feel like I'm baring my soul here....;) But it is more of a irritation type thing and annoying as heck but no infection. I can't tell you how many times I went in with symptoms to have a neg. urine. From a mother's stand point I think you will just feel better if you talk to the nurses and they will lead you from there. Just my one cent worth.;)
Anonymous said…
I have all boys, so the only experience I have with cooters is my own, but I do know that between the ages of 2-4 is when my trio discovered themselves, shall I say. It is also when they discovered Mom's are build different then little boys and each one at different times felt the need to tell dad, "They needed to go buy Mom a penis" Any ways maybe she has discovered herself to roughly and irritated the skin. Trust your gut and take her to the doctors- all you lose is time and money but you would gain piece of mind.
Anonymous said…
Alright, you might not want to hear this but I had a friend whose daughter had a similar problem and who kept complaining of genital pain. They went to urologists and pediatricians that could find nothing wrong with her. She was about 3 or 4 and was complaining that her "privates" hurt.

Turns out she was aroused. My friend started noticing that when she complained about it, her "happy button" was also swollen. She and the pediatrician decided it was the childhood version of being sexually stimulated.

I know that it's not thrilling to think of our children as budding sexual beings...but they do have some physiological responses that boggle the mind.

I would take her to the urologist again just to double check things out but also try to see if you can tell if it's a similar situation going on.

Jen (one of your three regular readers..ha ha ha)

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