im sorry im no help too but i do think please try to not over think about this. As easy as that is for me to to say. Wait till you see a pead. It was when my son was born i noticed his winkie was crooked and i worried and worried and worried. He did see the pead and very soon now he will be having an operation and it will be as good as new we hope . I just wanted to say ive been there in that very worried not knowing state and just wanting answers. Be strong and try to keep calm as hard as it is and SLEEP i say that as i just worried all the time. I found bb members a great support.
Try not to do your own investigation work google dr is not much help
My 9yr old has no opening at the moment. You can see where it should be but its not opened yet. I was told she has a complete hymen and that it should open by puberty and if not its a small procedure to open it (at the age its more for AF to come out without discomfort then anything else) I expected it to open by now but it hasn't. I thought it was normal (which it is but not common) but the paed pointed it out when doing a complete assessment for another reason when she was extremely unwell.
As a theatre nurse I have seen several young ladies around 15 have the hymen opened takes seconds to do it so if your daughter has a small opening she should avoid anything like that as the ones I have seen in theatre have being completely closed. It doesn't affect the other parts of the reproductive systems and there still there and work normally.
Also as a midwife women have all different shaped labia's, vagina's etc. Some tiny to look at and others not so small. Even if she has a very small vagina and external female genitalia I am sure it will all function the way it is designed to. If I had to choose I think I would want a small one all neatly tucked away.
I would take her to the paed like you said you were going to and I am sure they could determine that she is fine down below or if its neccessary to have an ultrasound or followup when she gets older. If everything is there just small (urethra, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris etc) I am she is fine. If the parts were missing then their perhaps would be more of a concern.
If she is tiny down below the urethra is probably very short to the bladder so she is at greater risk of developing infections. Hope your baby girl is ok and you can prevent her from getting UTI's. Poor bubba.
Thought I should update! I have had my mum visiting and we have been busy here!!
We saw the pead and she said that it was a case of her Labia minora being completely fused and quite thick as well. We couldn't see if she had a clitoros, urethra, or vaginal opening. However on ultrasound all DD's kidneys are normal which is good.
For the past month the pead has had us use oesrogen(sp?) cream on Bethany to see if that opens things up or weakens the join. It would seem that it hasn't made a lot of difference and although we can see things a bit clearer it is becoming obvious everything isn't where it should be.
We head back tomorrow probably to organise a surgical consult. However we have to wait for the team from townsville to come up. We don't have pead surgens here in Cairns. I want the pead team to review DD but the pead she is seeing thinks an adult gyney can do it. I am not happy with that.
Sorry if this is confussed, DD is clingy I have typed most of this with her on my lap!!
I'll try and update again soon, Thanks for all the well wishes and support it means heaps
You have my sympathies, I'm sure this is a stressful and difficult time for you.
I think your instinct to insist on seeing a paediatric gynaecologist is abo****ely correct. I would insist on a referral to one, preferably one that works out of a children's hospital - I think the nearest to you might be the Mater Children's Hospital in Brisbane, but I am not 100% sure. You can get some financial support through the IPTAAS service, which your GP or local Centrelink office should be able to tell you more about.
Yes I agree with Schmickers about seeing a paed gyno but I think they would be very rare and you might have to travel to see one. I would get several opinions as to who would be the best to see. I know our gynos do surgery on children although not as young as Bethany. Have they advised you on your options? Like wait till Bethany is older or look into surgery now? Will surgery prevent her getting the regular UTI's which you said she had earlier?
Thinking of you and Bethany
oh how stressful for you Amy! I too would be going with my gutt instinct and getting a referral for a paediatric gynaecologist.
I would imagine Brisbane would be the closest specialist you could see. Hopefully you can get a referral for one.
I've tried to check that my DD's vagina is normal and open but it feels so wrong to be doing it IYKWIM. Also, she doesn't let me anyway. She's nearly 17 months old and gets jumpy when she's being wiped or anything.
but i do think please try to not over think about this. As easy as that is for me to to say. Wait till you see a pead. It was when my son was born i noticed his winkie was crooked and i worried and worried and worried. He did see the pead and very soon now he will be having an operation and it will be as good as new we hope
. I just wanted to say ive been there in that very worried not knowing state and just wanting answers. Be strong and try to keep calm as hard as it is and SLEEP i say that as i just worried all the time. I found bb members a great support.
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